PARIS -
Europe's first Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) cargo supply ship has successfully
raised the International Space Station into a higher orbit in the first of four
re-boost maneuvers scheduled between now and August, its manufacturer and the
European Space Agency (ESA) announced Friday.
Using two
of its four main engines, the ATV
Jules Verne pushed the 308-ton orbital complex for a period of 12.5
minutes, increasing its speed by just over 8 feet (2.65 meters) per second and
raising its altitude by 2.8 miles (4.6 km). The ATV consumed 537 pounds (244 kg)
of its fuel in performing the task.
The
station's orbit of around 211 miles (340 km) regularly degrades from the
effects of residual atmosphere at that altitude. Named after the famed 19th century
French science fiction author, the Jules Verne cargo ship is scheduled to raise
the station's orbit on three more occasions in June, July and August. Russia's unmanned
Progress supply vessels are also is capable of boosting the station's orbit, as
are the U.S. space shuttles of NASA.
The
19,000-kilogram ATV docked
to the station on April 3 loaded with food, fuel, water and other supplies
for the station's crew. Once its mission is completed in August, it will be
loaded with garbage, separated from the station and burned up over the South
Pacific Ocean as it re-enters the atmosphere.
At least
four other ATV vehicles will be launched aboard European Ariane 5 rockets at
regular intervals in the next seven years as part of a barter arrangement with
NASA in return for European use of the station's resources. Europe's Columbus
laboratory was attached to the space station in February following its
launch aboard a U.S. space shuttle.
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