Saturday, June 15, 2013

European "truck", "Albert Einstein" docked with the ISS - Open Democracy

European transport cargo vehicle ATV-4 “Albert Einstein” made a successful docking with the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS), the website of the European Space Agency (ESA).

The launch took place on Thursday night from Kourou in French Guiana launch vehicle Ariane.

Saturday captured a special docking manipulator “Albert Einstein” conducted by ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano. It is noted that the ship was docking at 20 minutes later than planned, because the world needed extra time to check the efficiency of laser reflectors. When docking “Albert Einstein” used viziometr and installed on the ATV Russian system “course” was used as an extra just for visual control of parameters of the ship closer to the station.

total during the approach to the station the ship made four stops away from it in three and a half kilometers, 250 meters, 20 meters and 12 meters, after which the ship was captured by the manipulator. ATV is the world’s space “truck”, with the exception of the Russian “Progress”, capable of performing the functions of refueling, orientation and regular correction of the ISS orbit.

also launched the ship is the heaviest in the history of the European Space ? on board the “Albert Einstein” there are 6.5 tons of cargo, including fuel, scientific equipment, food, water and air. Within four months of “Einstein” will be attached to the Russian module “Zvezda”. During this time, he had several times including its thrusters to raise the orbit of the space station. October 28 this year, the truck will be undocked and sunk in the Pacific Ocean.

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