Automatic carrier Jules Verne is ready to launch

Automated Ships Jules Verne (named after the famous French science fiction writer) , was the first autopilot (ATV) ship of five automatic carriers built by The European Space Agency (ESA), about to fly its first flight. 100% of its equipment has been completely installed and ready to make a flight into space. The mission to launch Jules Verne, identified in the second half of 2007, will follow a three-year pilot program.

The main contractor and ESA research teams have worked hard to complete the test of the most modern ship ever built by Europe. In the upcoming important months, this most advanced program will have to complete at the same time 3 tasks:

1. Fully prepared for the launch mission,
2. Complete the assembly equipment with ISS international space station and other partner space stations,
3. And preparing Arian 5 missiles is ready to carry the heaviest payload ever.

In the past few months, the main challenge of ATV vessel quality testing is to conduct multiple testing programs at the same time to test many of ATV's connected devices with various partners. The main purpose of these complicated and time-consuming experimental programs is to ensure that ATV's hardware and software devices can handle all the simulated situations and real situations that Jules Verrne ships may encounter in my flight.

For example, at the RSC Energia company in the outskirts of Moscow (Moscow), this is the fabrication of assembly equipment, fuel charging systems and auxiliary electronic devices, systems. The main computer emulator was conducted from December last year to March this year at GDC (the ground fault repair complex). Here, a powerful simulator created several hypothetical situations where fabrication engineers at ATV had to face it but still had to comply with the strict requirements of manned flight into space. .

Jules Verne train simulation (Photo: ESA)

The purpose of this is to test and select the optimal software version used for Russian module assembly and software used to allow Russian modules to control the ATV's propulsion system to initiate Restart and control the height of the ISS station weighing about 220 tons. These tests also include real communication between ship equipment and GPS navigation system simulators.

The experimental program is currently in the final stage of success, despite having encountered some serious delays due to unexpected incidents during the Russian Federation's GPS positioning test. This part is essential for ATV's similar navigation system. Corrections including upgrading of control software also achieved good results in the final test.

At a similar factory in Russia, another two-month inspection program will also be carried out this spring at the Equipment Control and Inspection Station (KIS) to test the actual assembly of tissue. Modular model of Russian Federation is 12.6m long. Thanks to these real assemblies, the inspection of the Russian-built mooring and fueling system with the use of real liquid and pressurized tanks. Jules Verne, like the Russian Progress ship, is capable of loading 860 kg of propellant fuel to the space station and clearing 840 kg of liquid waste.

Meanwhile, at Europe's space and technology research center of the European Space Agency (ESTEC) located in the Dutch city of Noordwijk, Jules Verne is undergoing two environmental tests. Important implementation throughout 2006.

The first test is about sound to verify the ability to resist noise generated during ship launch. This test ended successfully in July last year.

The second test is a test of heat resistance in a vacuum environment to check whether the Jules Verne vessel in its working state can withstand the harsh conditions of the universe with extremely high temperatures in the lips. school vacuum. Even if the ship is ready for inspection, the test is postponed due to the inaccurate timing of the assessment to determine the exact process required for the test when all equipment of the trip Flight has been included. Finally, about a week before Christmas last year, the Jules Verne ship also experienced this experiment successfully.

Also in the autumn of last year, thanks to Europe's largest hull test equipment in western France, Jules Verne's assembly technique was successfully tested. This is the first time the ship has operated in "acrobatic" conditions . Under this condition all ship equipment such as computer systems, control software, sensors, air routes are operated in real or simulated as inertial forces of the ship, firing push system .

Everything is ready

Simulation of auto carrier ship assembled with Russian Zvezda module (Photo: ESA)

Some of the simulated tasks will require complex coordination and mid-task sharing in the ATV control center in Toulouse, France, Moscow's Mission Control Center (Russia). and Houston control center (USA). This is the first time in the history of conquering human space, the 3 space control centers in the world will work together. In order to carry out related activities involving the introduction of ATV ships into funds, a number of high-level specific processes called Multi-Element Procedures have been designed to determine the tasks to be performed sequentially by each control center. The 12 simulated scenarios related to the coordination of the three centers are still done to improve the processes for real and simulated situations that Jules Verne might encounter.

At the same time, the ISS Expedition 16 astronauts Yuri Malenchenko and Peggy Whitson began the ATV training program at the European Astronaut Center in Colonge, Germany. Jean-François Clervoy, an ESA astronaut and senior advisor to the ATV program, said: 'The mission of two astronauts in the assembly process will be the same as that of a pilot pilot. The flight tracks an automatic landing involving 14 parameters and has no manual backup control but they can order the ship to fly itself around the station. '

Currently, a series of tests and challenges are almost complete so the Jules Verne vessel will have to be shipped to launch this summer. Shipping by sea at ATV and 400 tons of ground support equipment from ESA's Test Center in the Netherlands to the city of Kourou in French Guiana will take place in 2 weeks.

John Ellwood, ESA's ATV Project Manager, said: 'It is very encouraging to see that most of the problems we have encountered over the years have been resolved and even if we have a lot of work. we have to do but we can confirm that we are ready to transport the Jules Verne to the launch site in a few months to prepare everything for the launch. '

Because the ATV is the heaviest and most advanced vessel ever designed by Europe and because of the safety requirements for manned ships, the Guyanais Space Center (CSG) in the Guiana France will be expanded within 4 months before launching.

Ship launch date.

Meanwhile in Europe, from April to mid-summer, a lengthy inspection program will be carried out by NASA and Russian experts to ensure that the Jules Verne ship, its equipment, rules The process of executing ATV of 3 parties is ready to support the mission of launching Jules Verne.

The quality control of the ATV control center has almost been completed, most of the system inspection programs have been completed and the quality control program of normal activities has been started and up. plans for ship launches by the end of July this year.

Besides the Jules Verne and the control center's availability, many of the external limitations also affect the Jules Verne's assembly day and this also reduces the chance of launching.

A major limitation of nature is the angle of the sun compared to the light angle of ATV and ISS station during the assembly process. This angle must be small to maintain the power supply to the ISS station and must be extremely large to avoid glare of sensors.

Other drawbacks are the return to the space station of other transport ships and the availability of anchorage often occupied by the Russian Progressive supply vessel.

Other unfavorable weather conditions recently disturbed the launch day of Jules Verne. The hail losses caused by the ship's external tank at the launch pad in Florida are currently under investigation and NASA has just announced that this will affect the list of goods considered by the ship to carry in this summer flight.

Considering the delay that recent Russian and European inspection groups encountered due to unexpected but resolved situations and adding other external restrictions on the launch day, it is now possible affirming that Jules Verne's first launch opportunity could not have been earlier than September and the possibility that the launch schedule could be moved to November depending on how to resolve the list of goods needed. shuttle space shuttle and priority for ATV ships to supply 6 tons of cargo to the ISS station.

The Kiet