European Space Agency Launches New Orbital Supply Ship

erik.martino brings us a story about the European Space Agency's successful launch of a new type of cargo ship to resupply the ISS. The first Automated Transport Vehicle (ATV), named after Jules Verne, is the "very first spacecraft in the world designed to conduct automated docking in full compliance with the very tight safety constraints imposed by human spaceflight operations." Among other things, it carries water, oxygen, and propellant to help boost the ISS to a higher orbit. We recently discussed NASA's need for a new cargo transport system. Quoting: "Beyond Jules Verne, ESA has already contracted industry to produce four more ATVs to be flown through to 2015. With both ESA's ATV and Russia's Progress, the ISS will be able to rely on two independent servicing systems to ensure its operations after the retirement of the US space shuttle in 2010. It incorporates a 45-m3 pressurised module, derived from the Columbus pressure shell, and a Russian-built docking system, similar to those used on Soyuz manned ferries and on the Progress re-supply ship. About three times larger than its Russian counterpart, it can also deliver about three times more cargo."

Comments

Re:See?

[PenguSven]

did you just associate the ability for anyone to get medical treatment when they're sick with communism?

Re:See?

[ghoul]

I guess the GP is a closet communist and associates anything good like Universal Health Care with Communism. Actually democracies like Great Britain and the Scandinavian countries do a pretty good job of Universal Health Care but that could be due to cultural issues. But then again the US is more of a Republic than a Democracy - e.g. Everyone's vote does not count the same in the US due to the electoral college system and Americans living in offshore territories(like Guam) do not get the vote unlike French living in say French Guyana. So people in the US dont really have that communal feeling created by true Democracy as those in Scandinavia so a Republican mindset is more prevalent than a Democratic one. (Please note here I am using the words Republican and Democratic in their original sense and not to refer to the major political parties of the US) And Republics are always more elitist than democracies ; and may the barbarians take the hindmost (or the one without health insurance)

Re:Automated?

[delphi125]

\/\/@ u 7h1n|{ u r? 1337?