Author Topic: Will the ATV ever fly? (Read 10594 times)

Ben E · « **on:** 02/26/2006 07:12 pm »

Does anyone know what on earth is happening with the ATV Jules Verne? It has been scheduled to fly since 2002, then 2004 and now I think it is NET mid-2007.

What is the problem? Is it built? I thought it was only a big Progress anyway, so what's so hard about building one of those?

mr.columbus · « **Reply #1 on:** 02/26/2006 07:21 pm »

http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=18210

The ATV had some hardware failures during testing, they have to solve them. In addition, as long as the Shuttle does not fly regularly, the ATV would have no real purpose to fly anyway as its primary function is to deliver scientific equipment for experiments to the ISS - with a crew size of 2, not much science is done, thus no need to fly it in 2006. Now with stepping up ISS crew size to 3 and with a goal of a full 6 crew size in 2008, ATV missions start to make sense. Thus, I personally am not troubled with the ATV being delayed throughout the last years, actually it seems to be "perfect timing" on part of ESA...

Jim · « **Reply #2 on:** 02/26/2006 08:14 pm »

Quote

mr.columbus - 26/2/2006 2:21 PMhttp://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=18210The ATV had some hardware failures during testing, they have to solve them. In addition, as long as the Shuttle does not fly regularly, the ATV would have no real purpose to fly anyway as its primary function is to deliver scientific equipment for experiments to the ISS - with a crew size of 2, not much science is done, thus no need to fly it in 2006. Now with stepping up ISS crew size to 3 and with a goal of a full 6 crew size in 2008, ATV missions start to make sense. Thus, I personally am not troubled with the ATV being delayed throughout the last years, actually it seems to be "perfect timing" on part of ESA...

Propellant delivery and trash removal are also its purpose