European Spacecraft “Jules Verne” Prepares for Flight to Iss

MOSCOW. March 5 (Interfax-AVN) – Preparations continue for the launch of the first European Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATM) named “Jules Verne” from the Kourou space center in French Guiana, scheduled for 7 a.m. Moscow time on Sunday.

“The European cargo spacecraft weighing 19,357 kilograms will be taken into orbit by a specially developed modification of the Arian- 5 carrier rocket,” chief spokesman for the Russian Space Agency (Roskosmos) Alexander Vorobyov told Interfax-AVN on Wednesday.

Beginning in 2008 the unmanned cargo spacecraft of the European Space Agency (ESA) will be used as one of the extension modules at the International Space Station (ISS).

The launch of the Jules Verne spacecraft will become the next stage of ESA’s participation in the ISS program, after its Columbus Laboratory was docked to the ISS last February, Vorobyov added.

The unmanned ATV built by EADS-Astrium is the heaviest ever unmanned cargo spacecraft.

For more details please see Interfax Military News Agency newswire.

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