Endeavour Returns Safely; Jules Verne Approaches Space Station

As the space shuttle Endeavour touched down safely on the tarmac at Cape Canaveral last night, NASA was telling the media about plans to broadcast the approach and docking of the newest vehicle to work with the International Space Station (ISS), the Jules Verne Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). Wrapping up an intensive 16-day mission to the ISS, Commander Dominic Gorie (Capt, USN) aimed the Endeavour orbiter toward the Kennedy Space Center from the other side of North America and hit its landing strip on schedule, following a short delay for clouds to clear. The flight of the STS-123 mission taxed its crew with the delivery of two vital components to the bulging space station: the first component of the Japanese Experiment Module known as the Kibo and the Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator known as the Dextre robot (please see our prior entry "Work Finished, Space Shuttle Heads for Home"). In the meantime, the new Jules Verne ATV, launched on 9 March 2008 on a mission to deliver supplies to the ISS and help boost the orbital platform to a higher altitude, began its long docking approach. The unmanned cargo vessel is on a proof-of-concept flight to test its automated systems, designed by the European Space Agency. NASA-TV will provide live coverage of the vehicle's test approach to the ISS on 31 March at 10:00 am EDST and docking maneuver on 3 April at 10:40 EDST. According to an item from United Press International, the Jules Verne will remain at the space station until early August, when it will undock and burn up after entering the Earth's atmosphere (please see our entry "Two Spacecraft Prepare for Space Station Meetings").

Kieron Murphy Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:23:03 PDT

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Source: http://blogs.spectrum.ieee.org/tech_talk/2008/03/endeavour_returns_safely_jules.html
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