June 17, 2013

Image Caption: Europe's supply ferry ATV Albert Einstein on approach to the International Space Station. Credit: ESA

ESA Press Release

ESAs fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle, Albert Einstein, completed a flawless rendezvous with the International Space Station on June 15 when it docked smoothly with orbital outpost at 14:07 GMT (16:07 CEST).

The Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) is now connected to the Space Station.

Bravo Europe, bravo ESA, bravo ATV. Thank you Member States, thank you industry, thank you CNES, thank you Russian partner, commented Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director General of ESA.

With the fourth ATV now ready to support and supply the Space Station with essential supplies and scientific experiments, ESA again proves itself to be a reliable partner in the international station upon which the future can be developed.

The 20-ton ferry, the heaviest spacecraft ever launched by Europe, flew autonomously and docked with the 420-ton complex with a precision of a few cm as both circled Earth at 28 000 km/h.

Such a gentle contact between a spacecraft the size of a double-decker bus and a Station 20 times larger is an amazing achievement, highlighting the impressive level of control achieved by this European space system developed by our industry under ESAs direction, said Thomas Reiter, ESAs Director of Human Spaceflight and Operations.

These impressive technological capabilities will live on in the service module of NASAs upcoming Orion crew vehicle.

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International Space Station Crew Welcomes Albert Einstein ATV