I spoke yesterday with ESA's Kris Capelle, the Flight Director for Operations working as part of the joint ESA-CNES (CNES = French space agency) team at ATV Control Centre (ATV-CC) in Toulouse, France. He is a long-time 'Ops' guy and has been working at ATV-CC since last year, helping train and practise for the upcoming mission. He says the team will be watching closely for a number of critical events immediately following the Sunday, 9 March, 5:03 CET launch, during the period known as LEOP - the critical Launch and Early Orbit Phase.
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A very short update just in from Kourou. Today's Launch Readiness Review probably won't finish until 17:00 local time - at the earliest - that's 21:00 CET (20:00 UT). All things being well, at this point the 'go' will be given for tomorrow's transfer of the launcher out to the launch pad. We'll let you know when we hear more from Guiana Space Centre!

-- Maria

Whilst we wait to hear the outcome of today's Ariane 5 Launch Readiness Review, here's a few Jules Verne ATV factlets to ponder and amaze your friends and family with.

For Europe in particular, Jules Verne ATV represents a few firsts...

We received word from Kourou earlier this evening that Jules Verne ATV has successfully passed today's Launch Readiness Review.

ISS partners from NASA and Russia also participated in the review which brings ESA's first International Space Station resupply spaceship a step closer to launch this Sunday. 


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A quick note on today's timeline: the ATV Launch Readiness Review will take place in Kourou later this afternoon CET. Also, I just noted a nice post yesterday from Astrium's ATV Programme Manager Nicolas Chamussy, who is in Kourou for the launch. Astrium is the prime contractor responsible for building the ATV. -- Daniel

A last inspection on the separation system between the Ariane 5 launcher and the ATV highlighted an anomaly in the routing of a bonding strap, quickly corrected on March, 3rd after an swift fairing removal. Jules Verne ATV is again under its protective cocoon since yesterday and all further tests were sucessfully performed. The whole team is enjoying the last days at the Final Assembly Building, babysitting our bird before its rolled-out on Friday to the launch pad. Batteries are charged on a regular basis, while the thermal condition of the vehicle is carefully managed.

Science / Space & Cosmos
Europe’s Journey to the Center of the Space Station
By WARREN E. LEARY
Published: March 4, 2008

With the launching of the Jules Verne on Sunday, 17 countries increase their investment in space.

Europe is set to significantly increase its involvement with the International Space Station with the launching of a large new spacecraft that is to regularly supply the outpost with fuel, oxygen and other cargo.

This in earlier this AM from the ESA media office: Arianespace and the European Space Agency confirmed today that the launch of Jules Verne, the first Automated Transfer Vehicle, is delayed 24 hours due to a technical concern about the ATV/Ariane 5 launcher separation system. The Jules Verne launch is rescheduled for 00:59 Kourou time, 03:59 UTC, 04:59 CET on Sunday 9 March 2008. Full details after the jump.

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