• Forum
• SITREP
• Military
• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security

• Space

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Public Eye

Thales Alenia Space advanced technologies participate to the ATV Jules Verne's docking manoeuvre

02 April 2008

Cannes, April 2, 2008 - On April 3rd, the ATV Jules Verne will dock to the International Space Station (ISS), representing a new era in European space activities. This first mission is an important and complex step as it represents a maiden flight, a completely automated way of approaching and docking to the Station. The ATV (Automatic Transfer Vehicle), developed under an ESA contract by prime contractor EADS Astrium, was launched from Kourou, French Guiana by an Ariane 5 ES to the ISS on March 9, 2008.

Thales Alenia Space, as principal subcontractor, has provided the ICC (Integrated Cargo Carrier) pressurized module. In addition to providing housing for the astronauts and materials, equipment, air, water and fuel for the Station, this module carries all the ATV docking systems, electronics and sensors used to guide itself through the final phase of approach.

To perform this rendezvous, the company supplied ATV communication equipment, meaning the proximity link communications equipment between the ATV and the ISS, the ATV's TTC (Tracking, Telemetry and Command) data relay communications with the Earth stations through the NASA's TDRSS satellite constellation, as well as the Video Visual Target and related electronic. In addition, Thales Alenia Space has integrated in the ICC the Videometer (VDM) and Telegoniometer eye-like sensors, the first automatic optical operational systems ever used for spacecraft navigation.

On March 31, the vehicle successfully approached the ISS to within 11 m of the docking port on the Russian Zvezda module, using the Thales Alenia Space's proximity link communication technology. The approach was part of a second ATV demonstration day that clears the way for the first rendezvous and docking attempt on 3 April.

The ATV Jules Verne docking to the ISS is an extremely complex event for the vehicle, for the orbital structure, and for the control centre on Earth. The docking manoeuvre will be particularly spectacular. At 400 kilometres above Earth, the 20-tonnes Jules Verne will dock with the station at a speed of 27,000 Km per hour.

Furthermore, Thales Alenia Space has provisioned, installed and verified for Astrium the docking system RDS and in cooperation with the Russian company RSC-Energy has developed the new avionics of navigation control.

About Thales Alenia Space
European leader in satellite systems and at the forefront of orbital infrastructures, Thales Alenia Space is a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Finmeccanica (33%). Together with Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space forms the "Space Alliance" between the two groups. The company is a worldwide reference in telecoms, radar and optical Earth observation, defense and security, navigation and science. With 7200 employees and 11 industrial sites, Thales Alenia Space is located in France, Italy, Spain and Belgium. www.thalesaleniaspace.com