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ATV: Solar Arrays Successfully Deployed During Tests

Les Mureaux, 03 July 2002

EADS LAUNCH VEHICLES is prime contractor for the development of the ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle) for the European Space Agency (ESA). As such, it has been conducting since early-December 2001 structural and thermal tests on the STM (Structural and Thermal Model), ATV's first test model, at the ESTEC facility, ESA's Research Centre in the Netherlands.

After acoustic tests (check of the holding to the environment generated by Ariane 5 during the launch), and dynamic tests (check of supporting vibrations and shocks engendered by the stage separation of the launch vehicle) had been successfully completed, full solar array deployment was tested in June 2002. It aimed at demonstrating that the deployment mechanisme was correctly operating after it had completely undergone the preceding series of tests.

The next and last milestone of this campaign will take place in July and perform an important thermic test intended to qualify the thermal regulation and insulation system inside the whole vehicle.