Edoardo Amaldi ATV

Edoardo Amaldi ATV
Edoardo Amaldi during its approach to the ISS on 28 March 2012
Mission typeISS resupply
OperatorEuropean Space Agency
COSPAR ID2012-010A Edit this at Wikidata
SATCAT no.38096
Mission duration6 months
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft typeATV
ManufacturerEADS Astrium
Thales Alenia Space
Launch mass20,050 kilograms (44,200 lb)
Start of mission
Launch date23 March 2012, 04:34:12 (2012-03-23UTC04:34:12Z) UTC
RocketAriane 5ES
Launch siteKourou ELA-3
ContractorArianespace
End of mission
DisposalDeorbited
Decay date3 October 2012, 01:23 (2012-10-03UTC01:24Z) UTC
Orbital parameters
Reference systemGeocentric
RegimeLow Earth
Perigee altitude410 kilometres (250 mi)
Apogee altitude420 kilometres (260 mi)
Inclination51.64 degrees
Period92.73 minutes
Epoch2 October 2012, 19:36:14 UTC[1]
Docking with ISS
Docking portZvezda Aft
Docking date28 March 2012, 22:51 UTC
Undocking date28 September 2012, 21:44 UTC
← ATV-2
ATV-4 →
 

The Edoardo Amaldi ATV, or Automated Transfer Vehicle 003 (ATV-003), was a European uncrewed cargo spacecraft, named after the 20th-century Italian physicist Edoardo Amaldi.[2] The spacecraft was launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) on 23 March 2012, on a mission to supply the International Space Station (ISS) with propellant, water, oxygen, and dry cargo.[3][4][5]

Edoardo Amaldi was the third ATV to be built, following Jules Verne (2008) and Johannes Kepler (2011). At the time of its launch, it was the world's largest single operational spacecraft, with a total launch mass of over 20 tonnes (44,000 lb).[6] The ATV completed its mission successfully, and was deorbited on 3 October 2012, burning up in the Earth's atmosphere as planned.

  1. ^ Peat, Chris (2 October 2012). "ATV-3 - Orbit". Heavens Above. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  2. ^ "Third ATV named after Edoardo Amaldi". ESA. 16 March 2010. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  3. ^ "Space station cargo delivery delayed about two weeks". Spaceflight Now. 2 March 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  4. ^ "ATV-4 to carry name Albert Einstein". ESA. 26 May 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2011.
  5. ^ "Edoardo Amaldi Blog". ESA. 3 March 2012. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  6. ^ "ATV-3 Cargo: the world's largest spacecraft". ESA Online Videos. 2 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.

Developed by StudentB