ATV Edoardo Amaldi set for liftoff

ATV Edoardo Amaldi set for liftoff
by Staff Writers
Paris, France (ESA) Mar 23, 2012

The protective fairing is lowered over Automated Transfer Vehicle Edoardo Amaldi. With the fairing in place, the spacecraft will be lowered on to the Ariane rocket that will launch it to the International Space Station. ESA's third automated space freighter, Edoardo Amaldi, will carry about two tonnes of dry cargo, 285 kg of water and more than three tonnes of propellants to the International Space Station. Credits: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/Optique Video du CSG - J.M. Guillon

ESA's third Automated Transfer Vehicle, Edoardo Amaldi, is ready for launch to the International Space Station.

ESA's formal Launch Readiness Review on Monday revealed no problems with the vessel. Launch is set for this Friday at 04:34 GMT (05:34 CET).

The Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) is the largest cargo vessel supplying the International Space Station with food, water supplies and propellants.

Yesterday, Arianespace conducted their readiness review for the Ariane 5 mission, VA205, that will deliver ATV to orbit. It, too, is cleared for flight.

Today, Ariane and ATV Edoardo Amaldi will be rolled to the launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana.

The total vehicle mass is 777 tonnes -the heaviest ever for an Ariane. This ATV is also the rocket's heaviest payload so far.

Follow the launch live via the ESA website with the webcast starting 30 minutes before liftoff.

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Astrium: double delivery for ATV-3 Edoardo Amaldi launch
Paris, France (SPX) Mar 21, 2012
Astrium, Europe's leading space company, is completing the mission preparation for the Automated Transfer Vehicle ATV-3. On March 23, 2012, the unmanned cargo resupply spacecraft named after the Italian physicist Edoardo Amaldi will be launched on its five-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS) from the Europe's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on board the European Ariane 5 E ... read more

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