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
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The fifth and last Automated Transfer Vehicle, ATV-5 , is scheduled to lift off at 01h43 GMT on 25 July from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana atop an Ariane 5.
ATV is the most complex spacecraft ever built in Europe, combining fully automatic rendezvous capabilities with advanced features to ensure human safety in orbit and on the ground.
Since the US Space Shuttle retirement, ATV became the largest vehicle supplying the International Space Station.
Thanks to ATV Program ESA has demonstrated it was able to master challenging technologies and if this may be the last ATV, it is just the beginning of ESA’s space transportation adventure.
The ATV Program has helped generate key enabling technologies that will serve as a solid basis for future cooperative space transportation endeavours.
ATV remains the “smartest” automated vehicle ever used in space and its technical heritage is now key for future exploration missions.
This video comes back on ATV history and explains what is its heritage.