The Second ATV Mission

The second ATV, named after German astronomer and mathematician Johannes Kepler, is planned for launch in February from Europe’s Spaceport. It will be the heaviest payload ever lofted into space by Ariane 5, marking an important step for this 200th flight of the European launcher.

Several upgrades will allow ATV-2 to carry a full load of propellant, greater than that delivered by the first ATV. The entire Johannes Kepler cargo of liquid, gas and dry goods and attitude control propellant will total the maximum capacity of just over 7 tonnes.

It will use its high-precision navigation system to rendezvous and dock with the Station automatically 8 days after launch. It will be monitored and commanded from the ATV Control Centre in Toulouse, France.

After several months attached to the Station, the ATV will undock for a controlled re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere over an uninhabited area of the southern Pacific Ocean.

The ATV is the most complex spacecraft ever built in Europe, combining the fully automatic capabilities of an unmanned vehicle with human spacecraft safety requirements. It will be a critical resupply tool for the ISS especially after 2011 when the US Space Shuttle will be retired. It has the largest propulsive support capability, performing ISS attitude and altitude control while it is attached.