ATV-2 Johannes Kepler Integrated Cargo Carrier is ready for mating with the spacecrafts Propulsion Module. ATV-2 Johannes Kepler is the second Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), Europe's resupply spacecraft for the International Space Station. Johannes Kepler is being prepared for launch at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.(Image credit: ESA)

The Integrated Cargo Carrier for Europe's second Automated Transfer Vehicle, ATV Johannes Kepler, has been delivered to the premises of EADS Astrium in Bremen, Germany.
 
Scheduled for launch in November 2010, ATV Johannes Kepler is Europe's second Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), an unmanned cargo spacecraft for the International Space Station (ISS). ATV-2, named after the German astronomer and mathematician, is currently being assembled in Bremen by the European industrial consortium lead by EADS Astrium.

Full article in the ESA web site: http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ATV/SEMDXTV0EZF_0.html

A high resolution version of the Jules Verne ATV re-entry is now available - see below!

Credit: ESA/NASA

These just sent in by ESA's Emilio De Pasquale, who says:

"Find here attached still images from a high-definition TV camera operated by Jessie Carpenter and Bill Moede of NASA Ames Research Center. The images were prepared by Eric James of the same group."

 (Click on 'Full story' for images). -- Daniel

 Full story »

A spectacular video recorded 29 September 2008 by the observation team chasing ATV Jules Verne as it plunged through the atmosphere. The video shows the spacecraft breaking up over the Pacific Ocean beginning at about 15:36 CEST. (A downloadable version will be published in the main ESA portal shortly.)

Credit: ESA/NASA

MP3 audio recording of ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain speaking to the media at the IAC (59th International Astronautical Congress), Glasgow, Scotland, earlier this afternoon - shortly after ATV's reentry.

Click here to access mp3 file if playback box above is not visible.

Images of ATV burning up in the atmosphere just received from the team on board the DC-8 observation aircraft taken at approximately 15:36 CEST 29 Sep. More details available on the main ESA web site. -- Daniel

Credit: ESA

MP3 audio interview with ESA's John Ellwood, ATV Project Manager.

Access mp3 file here if playback box is not visible.

A quick reaction statement from ESA's mission director Alberto Novelli. I asked him on how today's deorbit went from the operations standpoint (apologies for mp3 quality - it is a bit rough due big crowd her). -- Daniel

Access mp3 file here if no playback box is visible.

A quick snap of the scene in the ATV Control Room as the mission came to an end. -- Daniel