This Echo is READ ONLY !   NO Un-Authorized Messages Please!
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Paris, 14 April 2003
Press Release
Nx 26-2003

ESA signs contract with CNES for Automated Transfer Vehicle Control
Centre

On Thursday 17 April ESA Director of Human Spaceflight, Mr Jörg
Feustel-Büechl, will sign a contract with the French space agency
(CNES), represented by its President Yannick d'Escatha, for the
development and operations of the Automated Transfer Vehicle Control
Centre in Toulouse, France.

The main functions of the Centre will be to command and control the
Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).  Under the contract CNES will take
responsibility for management of the Centre's development and
prepare, coordinate and support all ATV operations on behalf of ESA.

The ATV is an unmanned vehicle which will be put into orbit from
Kourou, French Guiana, by Europe's Ariane 5 launcher. It will supply
the International Space Station with pressurised cargo, water, air,
nitrogen, oxygen and attitude control propellant. It will also remove
waste from the Station and periodically re-boost the Station  to a
higher altitude to compensate for atmospheric drag.  The first ATV is
expected to be launched in September 2004.

After launch, coming under the responsibility of the Control Centre
in Toulouse, the ATV will separate from Ariane and, using its own
navigation systems, make a three-day journey to the International
Space Station, where it will use its eye-like rendezvous sensors to
dock automatically. It will then remain an integral Station element
for up to six months. 

The Automated Transfer Vehicle is being developed in Europe by 1500
engineers from 10 European countries and 30 companies, with EADS-LV
as prime contractor. It and the Columbus laboratory are Europe's most
significant contributions to the International Space Station
programme, representing  Europe as a key partner in this
international cooperative project.

"The Automated Transfer Vehicle is Europe's most challenging
spaceship to date and will play a vital role in Station servicing,"
said Mr Feustel-Büechl. "The vehicle is another major European
contribution to the Space Station programme and is helping to cover
Europe's share of Station operations. Its development is also
promoting economic development and providing employment in our
European space industry."

Over the course of the Station's 10-year lifetime, it is expected
that ESA will build at least 8 Automated Transfer Vehicles.

ESA invites interested members of the media to attend the signing at
CNES in Toulouse on 17 April at 11.00 hrs. Media representatives
wishing to attend the event are kindly requested to complete the
attached registration form and fax it back to the ESA Media Relations
Service in Paris (Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.7690).

For further information on the ATV Control Centre, please contact:
Hervé Come
Directorate of Human Spaceflight
European Space Agency
Toulouse, France
Tel. +33 (0)5 61 27 33 02
Fax: +33 (0)5 61 27 32 34

For further information on the ATV, please contact:
Robert Lainé
Directorate of Human Spaceflight
European Space Agency
Les Mureaux, France
Tel. +33 (0)1 53 69 80 71
Fax: +33 (0)1 53 69 80 79

_____________________________________________________________________

ESA Automated Transfer Vehicle Control Centre Contract Signature
CNES, Toulouse, France.
17 April 2003, 11.00 hrs



First name: _________________ Surname: ______________________________ 

Media: ______________________________________________________________ 

Address: ____________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________ 

_____________________________________________________________________ 

Tel.:_________________________ Fax: _________________________________ 

Mobile:______________________ E-mail: _______________________________ 
 


(  )    I will be attending the signature

(  )    I will not be attending

Please return this form by fax:
ESA Media Relations Service
Tel: +33(0)1.53.69.7155
Fax: +33(0)1.53.69.7690

 - END OF FILE -
==========

@Message posted automagically by IMTHINGS POST 1.30
---