"We're looking forward to a successful reentry. We have strong confidence that all will go nominally."

Mike's on console this AM and will be closely monitoring the two upcoming de-orbit burns and then consolidating the burn analysis to report back to the observation aircraft. I asked him a few questions on activities this AM and on how the flight control team feels as this spectacular mission approaches the end (click on 'Full story' below the image for more). -- Daniel

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Some details on today's timeline, just updated from ESA's John Ellwood here at ATV CC:

• First burn planned for 10:00 UT (12:00 CEST)
• Second burn planned at 12:58 UT (14:58 CEST) will bring ATV to 120km altitude
• Impact is foreseen for 13:43 UT (15:43 CEST)
• First report (via satphone) from the airborne observation team expected +/- 14:00 UT (16:00 CEST)

More details after the jump! -- Daniel

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A short audio clip taken from a BBC telephone interview yesterday with Jason Hatton, from ESA's Human Spaceflight directorate and the Agencys's lead scientist on the joint NASA/ESA observation team. Jason explains the overall aims of the observation activities (Jason worked previously at NASA Ames). Thanks to Jonathan Amos for sharing! -- Daniel

Download MP3 direct here.

Morning! We've installed ourselves in the room at the back on the ATV Control Centre. Alberto Novelli, ESA's ATV Mission Director, just came in to say 'hi!'. He has just come from a briefing and told us the re-entry is approved: "We are go for re-entry!". 

So next up is the first de-orbit burn at 10:00 GMT (12:00 CEST). The burn will be six minutes long and changes the orbit from circular to elliptical (330x220km)

--Maria

A quick shot this morning from one of the display screens here at ATV CC Toulouse. -- Daniel

The ISS crew took some great photos of Jules Verne shortly after undocking on 5 September - including the one above. For some more like this, see the ESA Multimedia Gallery (credit: NASA). These could be the last photos of Jules Verne before the re-entry... unless anyone has some recent ground observations to share? Anyone? 

Tonight and tomorrow morning will be the last chance to see Jules Verne in our nightskies - if they are clear! - see www.heavens-above.com to find out if ATV is visible from where you are. 

Back tomorrow for the re-entry.
 -- Maria

Below is a graphic showing the projected ground track of Jules Verne's last few orbits. The one furthest to the left will be the final orbit - you can see it ends to the right of New Zealand when the spacecraft burns up in the Earth's atmosphere. The re-entry will be difficult to view from anywhere on the ground as this area is pretty much uninhabited... the lucky few who are going to be on the two planes taking part in the observation campaign are probably the only people who are going to witness tomorrow's events live. We'll be in touch with them via the ATV team here at the ATV Control Centre in Toulouse and bring you the latest news as soon as we hear anything. --Maria (oh.. and see the observation campaign website for a closer look at the flight path)

Here's a recap of the key mission milestones for ATV Jules Verne, beginning with launch on 9 March 2008 up to the most recent boosts on 15 September (click on 'Full story' for details). -- Daniel

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A great animation showing an artist's visualisation of the entire undocking and reentry sequence - which will be complete in just under 24 hours from now. Of course, the undocking took place on 5 September at 23:29 CEST, since when the ATV has been in its rephasing period, which will last just over 23 days (original press release w/more tech details on the ESA web site). -- Daniel

Credit: ESA