Atv (Automated Transfer Vehicle), was a space vehicle developed by the ESA in the framework of the Iss programme. The launch of the first Atv mission, Jules Verne, took place on March 9th, 2008.

The vehicle had the task of carrying supplies to the Iss, without being monitored by the ground-based control centre. A second task was bringing the Iss back to the right orbit, since the station loses altitude due to the friction with the terrestrial atmosphere. Lastly, after being filled with the waste accumulated on the station, it was left to burn above the Pacific Ocean during the re-entry in the atmosphere. The Atv programme ended on February 15th, 2015, with the re-entry in the atmosphere of the fifth and last scheduled mission, the Georges Lemaître.

Rcs Energia signed a 40-million euro contract with one of the main subcontractors of Eads, the main subcontractor of the vehicle, whereas Thales Alenia Space is in charge of manufacturing the Russian docking system, the supply system and the equipment control system. Lastly, Thales was in charge of manufacturing the pressurized section in the Turin factories.

‣ News

WEDNESDAY 15 MARCH 2023

ITALIAN PRESIDENT, SERGIO MATTARELLA, VISITS THE “LUIGI BROGLIO” SPACE CENTER IN MALINDI ‣

President Mattarella's first Official Visit to Kenya. Watch the video on AsiTV MORE...

TUESDAY 14 MARCH 2023

The 13th Farinella Prize ‣

The prize is assigned during the EPSC annual meetings MORE...

FRIDAY 03 MARCH 2023

PRISMA in support of the ESA EO Africa initiative ‣

The ASI hyperspectral satellite acquires in Kenya for the HyRELIEF project funded by ESA MORE...

WEDNESDAY 01 MARCH 2023

Agreement between the Italian Ministry of Culture and the Italian Space Agency for heritage study and protection ‣

“Eyes” in space to protect  our national cultural heritage. Cultural heritage data collection kicks off through the COSMO-SkyMed system developed by ASI in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense MORE...

FRIDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2023

PRISMA on the quake’s epicenter area in Turkey ‣

The Roman Gaziantep Castle captured by the ASI hyperspectral satellite MORE...