MISSION NAME
Edoardo Amaldi ATV (ATV-003) 003
Status
Success
DATE
23 MAR 2012
LAUNCH PROVIDER
Arianespace
Launch Pad
Ariane Launch Area 3
Description
ATV-3 is the Automated Transfer Vehicle operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) to resupply the international space station (ISS) with propellant, water, air and dry cargo. After 5 days in orbit it docked to the ISS on 23rd March 2012.
Ariane 5 ES
Rocket Description
The Ariane 5 ES (Evolution Storable) has an estimated LEO launch capacity of 21,000 kg (46,000 lb). It includes all the performance improvements of Ariane 5 ECA core and boosters but replaces the ESC-A second stage with the restartable EPS used on Ariane 5 GS variants. It was used to launch the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) into a 260 km circular low Earth orbit inclined at 51.6° and has been used 3 times to launch 4 Galileo navigation satellites at a time directly into their operational orbit. The Ariane 5 ES flew 8 times from 2008 to 2018 with no failures.