Jules Verne's Terrific Re-entry

After spending nearly six months attached to the International Space Station, ESA's Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) made a fantastic atmospheric re-entry today. And by fantastic I mean complete spacecraft vaporization as shown in this first known picture taken from an airborne DC-8. What remnants survived the re-entry splashed down into the Pacific Ocean. Jules Verne made such a spectacular show for those who could see it because it was so huge to begin with. Compare it below to the size of both the Apollo and Progress spacecraft. Jules Verne "carried almost five tonnes of food, breathing air, drinking water and fuel" to the ISS. Of course in typical fashion, Verne was discarded after it's use was no longer needed. ESA has at least two more ATVs in production for future launches. With more than 100 years since Jules Verne's death I'm glad to see he finally completed le voyage extraordinaire.



[Gizmodo]

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First look at new Russian/European spacecraft

This is what Russia and Europe is hoping will get them some boots on the surface of the moon to compete with NASA's Orion Program. It is a first look at a new spacecraft designed by Russian manufacturer RKK Energia and revealed at the Farnborough Air Show last week. I've got to agree with the boys over at Gizmodo, it does look like something out of the Ikea Kitchen Collection. The joint project is designed around the premise of getting four cosmonauts or 'euronauts' to the moon and back. Now the interesting thing about this flying crockpot is that it will be the first manned spacecraft to return to the Earth's surface by retro-rocket soft landing (which, I assume, is what is shown in the picture below). No word on how they expect to get that thing to the surface of the moon or back up without a lunar lander though. The ESA and their Russian counterpart, Roscosmos, are hoping to get their design aloft by 2018, or sooner if rocket modifications permit.


(BBC via Gizmodo)

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So You Want to Be an Astronaut

Well now is your chance. The European Space Agency kicked off a new campaign to expand and renew the European Astronaut Corps. EAC head Michel Tognini said the ESA is wanting to add four new astronauts and four backups to the EAC.

This new campaign is all thanks to the several existing astronauts busy with the Columbus orbital lab and the first of EU's Automated Transfer Vehicles (ATV) space boats docked at the ISS. Step right up.

The campaign is being directed at preparing the ISS for a full six astronaut operation and to begin human exploration of infinity and beyond the moon and Mars.

Please note you must be between 27-37 years old and be a resident of one of the ESA's 17 member states. If you feel that you meet those qualifications, please visit the application website. It is expected that 20,000-30,000 will apply, so get going.

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Europe finally sticks it with Jules Verne

It's been over five months since I last tipped my hat to the boys in Europe, but today I'll have to do it again as the European Space Agency finally docked their Jules Verne ATV to the ISS this morning in the world's first autonomous space docking. The coolest part about the ATV is it's use of "frickin' laser beams" for it's computerized docking. Jules brought 7,500 lbs of cargo and supplies to the station today along with a heaping of EuroHope and aspirations for the ESA's sometimes struggling space program. The Automated Transfer Vehicle program will give Europe an in for the ISS and space exploration, at least until we scrap that floating test tube in the sky. It will definitely help with space station supplies as NASA plans on wrapping up shuttle flights here in the next couple of years to prepare for the Constellation Project. The ESA is planning on building 8 more ATVs, each of which will burn up on reentry after servicing the ISS. Wait a minute, shouldn't we try to shoot them down then??

I'm working on uploading a video of the docking on this post, so check back again soon.

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Jules Verne makes it into space without use of giant cannon

The European Space Agency finally has something to celebrate besides their Columbus module on the ISS. Yesterday the ESA launched an Ariane 5 rocket carrying Jules Verne, their first Automated Transfer Vehicle and their most complicated spacecraft ever. Jules Verne will make an automated dock with the ISS shortly after the Space Shuttle Endeavour departs the station on its STS-123 mission. Now park that thing Europe.

Jules Verne finally ready for le voyage extraordinaire

The Ariane 5 launch vehicle set to carry Jules Verne into space for the first time arrived yesterday to its launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana. The European Space Agency's 22-ton Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) named after the French author of From the Earth to the Moon will make its maiden voyage tomorrow to the International Space Station to resupply it with food, air, water, fuel, and supplies. It will be the heaviest load ever lifted by the Ariane 5 rocket. However, due to the launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavour on STS-123 scheduled for a March 11th liftoff, the Jules Verne will park itself in an orbit until after the completion of the shuttle mission. It will then make an automated docking with the ISS after Endeavour has left for its return to Earth.


The ATV is designed to supplement the Russian Progress resupply ships and Shuttle resupply missions with Europe's own little pet project. It has been a long road just to get to the launch pad, but when the ATV enters service it will provide the ISS with up to 3 times the amount of cargo that could be carried in a Progress ship. Check out the comparison below. The downside, ole' Jules Verne has only one mission. Once it's done at the ISS, it will be loaded with the old station junk and be sent on a burn-up re-entry. I wonder how much these things cost?