Slide 92 of 99
Notes:
Cutaway drawing of the Automated Transfer Vehicle (1993). The ATV spacecraft was first proposed in the mid-1980s as a way to transport unmanned cargo to the Space Station. The Ariane-5 would launch the ATV. Early studies focused on a modified version of the Ariane-5's L9.7 upper stage -- the “ARIES” concept -- but by 1992 the European Space Agency had decided a custom-built propulsion module (top left) would be more efficient. A pressurized or unpressurized Cargo Carrier module would transport up to 9000kg of supplies.
Alternate Automated Transfer Vehicle concept (DASA). The European Space Agency also considered using the Ariane-5/ATV to launch the Columbus laboratory.
The Automated Transfer Vehicle rendezvouses with the International Space Station in this 1996 drawing. The project's detailed Phase B2 began in July 1996.
By 1997, ESA had decided to use solar panels to produce additional power for the Automated Transfer Vehicle.
The Automated Transfer Vehicle boosts the International Space Station's orbit. Occasional propulsive maneuvers will be necessary to keep the ISS orbit from decaying, since air drag slowly lowers the Space Station's orbit. The ATV will dock at the rear of the Russian Service Module and the Russian Space Agency is providing a rendezvous & docking system as part of an ESA/RSA deal. Periodically boosting the ISS orbit now increasingly appars to be the ATV's most important mission, since the Russians may not be able to launch enough Progress cargo spacecraft to do the job.
