Rendezvous& docking  03 April, 2008 15:17

ATV arrived at station-keeping point S3 at 15:16 CEST; it is scheduled to stay there until 15:52 CEST.

From 500 m out, the ISS video camera was switched on. The crew have been looking at the Simvol video display, adjusting the transparent mask overlay (that helps them guage the range and range rate to ATV), and monitoring ATV's progress.

Also at S3, ATV-CC has issued the GO SLEW command, which will initiate the ATV's manouevre to cnhange attitude into Earth-pointing mode. -- Daniel 

Rendezvous& docking  03 April, 2008 15:03

The third S3 closing boost is now underway. One more to go... 
-- Maria

Rendezvous& docking  03 April, 2008 14:51

ATV seen during Demo Day 2, 31 March 2008Here's a video clip recorded druing Demo Day 2 on 31 March, when ATV closed to within 11 m of the ISS. This video is a sort of mash-up, showing three simultaneous views of Jules Verne as it came into illumination near S41. Bottom left shows the view via the ESA Docking Video System (camera inside Russian module); top and bottom right shows the view from two cameras mounted on the ISS (and projecting downward, thus the image is up-side-down with respect to the docking video system view).

This is a good preview of what will happen in just a couple hours from now when ATV reaches S41 again. It's real-time, so a little slow - but well worth the wait! -- Daniel

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Rendezvous& docking  03 April, 2008 14:49
The second closing boost has started. Jules Verne and ISS are currently heading for the lower tip of South America, just passing the day-might boundary. The two vehicles are passing through Earth's eclipse, but just moving into orbital sunrise... BEAUTIFUL sight!!
-- Maria
Rendezvous& docking  03 April, 2008 14:36

A few minutes ago Jules Verne ATV received the go for next phase - CLOSING. During CLOSING, ATV is transferred by 4 burns from the S2 station keeping point to S3 (249 m away from ISS). The first CLOSING boost is underway. Read more in Daniels previous post at the same point during Demo Day 2
-- Maria

 

Rendezvous& docking  03 April, 2008 14:19

On the ATV-CC voice loop we just heard "HOLD and RETREAT commands are correct" ... Today these are test commands sent to Jules Verne to make sure that they are being received properly. The news is - they were received ok.
-- Maria

 

Rendezvous& docking  03 April, 2008 14:13

The data received from the Kurs radar-based system has just appeared on the Simvol.
-- Maria

Rendezvous& docking  03 April, 2008 14:04
Jules Verne ATV has arrived at S2 - now just 3.5 km away from ISS. This is a so-called station keeping point. Jules Verne will remain here for just over 30 minutes. Whilst in this position the spacecraft's external lights will be activated. The Russian Kurs radar-based system will also be activated - the crew will use data from the Kurs to check the relative GPS data they see on the Simvol.
-- Maria
Rendezvous& docking  03 April, 2008 13:44

ATV seen from ISS on 3 April 2008 at a distance of about 20 kmWe can see ATV on screen in the ATV-CC, as imaged from the ISS. It's just a faint dot (see red circle), but she's looking quite beautiful today! At this time, the range was about 9,000 m -- Daniel

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rendezvous& docking  03 April, 2008 13:18
Jules Verne just arrived at S1 - that is a point 15.5 km behind ISS and 5 km below. AND... we have just got our first glimpse of Jules Verne here in the control centre. Right now still a dot in the distance. -- Maria
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