NASA Television will broadcast live the launch and docking of the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) fifth and final Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV-5) cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station.
Loaded with more than seven tons of supplies for the station crew, ATV-5 is scheduled to launch on an Ariane 5 rocket at 7:47 p.m. EDT Tuesday, July 29, from Kourou, French Guiana (8:47 p.m. local time). NASA TV coverage will begin at 7:15 p.m. and include commentary from both NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and ESA’s launch provider, Arianespace.
The 13-ton “George Lemaitre” spacecraft was named by ESA in honor of the 20th century Belgian astronomer and physicist credited with proposing the theory of the expansion of the universe.
ATV-5 is scheduled for a 14-day flight to the station, with docking to the aft port of the Russian Zvezda service module at 9:34 a.m. EDT Tuesday, Aug. 12. NASA TV coverage of rendezvous and docking will begin at 8 a.m. During its trip to the space station, the “Georges Lemaitre” will fly four miles below the space station Friday, Aug. 8, to test sensors for potential use on future European spacecraft before beginning the final phase of its rendezvous with the orbital laboratory.
The “Georges Lemaitre” is expected to remain docked until late January 2015.
For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/nasatv
For International Space Station information, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/station
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Stephanie Schierholz
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
stephanie.schierholz@nasa.gov
Dan Huot
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
daniel.g.huot@nasa.gov