The ATV will be the most important European contribution to the International Space Station and will ensure the transport of re-supplies to and waste disposal from the station.

When the contract was signed in Bremen on Friday, Dasa said that within the German-French alliance Aerospatiale Matra Lanceurs will be responsible for the development and Dasa for the production phase of the orbital transport system in their function as prime-contractors to the European Space Agency ESA. At the same time, both companies will be involved in the partner's tasks as subcontractors.

Under contract to Aerospatiale Matra Lanceurs, Dasa will be in charge of the development of the propulsion system of the automated orbital transport vehicle including integration and testing.

In addition, Dasa will be responsible for integration and testing of the Spacecraft (propulsion and avionics unit). The complete ATV flight unit (Spacecraft and Cargo Carrier) will be integrated and tested by a joint Aerospatiale Matra Lanceurs-Dasa team.

The order will cover a volume of DM 163 million. The first ATV mission to the International Space Station is scheduled for June 2003.

When signing the contract with the President of Aerospatiale Matra Lanceurs Philippe Couillard, Josef Kind, President of the Space Infrastructure Business Unit of Dasa, said: "The ATV development contract is the first definite step towards operation and utilization of the International Space Station."

The unmanned orbital transport vehicle ATV will be delivered into orbit by the European Ariane 5 launcher lifting off from the launch pad in Kourou (French Guiana).

ATV will use a separate propulsion system to reach the International Space Station and to independently and fully automatically dock at a Russian node for a period of up to six months.

The vehicle will transport up to seven tons of materials and re-supplies to the station and collect outdated equipment and waste material from the station. It will undergo controlled burn-up during re-entry into the earth's atmosphere.

Due to the relatively low orbit of the International Space Station (350 to 400 km), the station will descend by up to 50 kilometers within a period of six months. During the docking phase, ATV will carry out so-called re-boost maneuvers and will control the station's attitude.

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