Joining ATV-4

Hoisting ATV Albert Einstein’s pressurised module at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, ready to be lowered onto the service module that is surrounded by scaffolding. The pressurised module is used to store cargo and, once docked with the International Space Station, becomes a temporary habitable module.

Automated Transfer Vehicles (ATV) are multi-purpose unmanned ferries delivered to orbit by Europe’s Ariane 5 launcher. Each spacecraft can deliver up to 7 tonnes of cargo to the International Space Station, including supplies and equipment, water, air, nitrogen, oxygen and fuel.