The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
Go to topic
About every 17 months, ESA’s Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) delivers 7.7 tonnes of equipment, food, air and water to the International Space Station (ISS).
ATV has a system for fully automated docking with the ISS. A direct laser link with the station allows ATV to start accurate navigation to its target using GPS technology. From a distance of 249 m, the ATV computers use videometer and telegoniometer (laser-pulsed instruments that calculate the distance and orientation to the ISS) for final approach and docking. The approach slows to 7 cm/s, and the docking is completed autonomously with a precision of 1.5 cm while the two spacecraft are circling the Earth at 28 000 km/h.