1 00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:05,430 >> Amiko Kauderer: And here with us today we have Eric Van der Wal. 2 00:00:05,430 --> 00:00:08,880 He is joining us here inside the International Space Station Flight Control Room. 3 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:15,350 Yesterday we spoke with Jerry Jason the flight director lead for the launch 4 00:00:15,350 --> 00:00:18,710 of the automated transfer vehicle and so Eric is actually here. 5 00:00:18,710 --> 00:00:22,690 He is with the European Space Agency, a program representative. 6 00:00:22,690 --> 00:00:24,330 Thank you Eric and welcome. 7 00:00:24,330 --> 00:00:25,050 >> Eric Van der Wal: Thank you. 8 00:00:25,050 --> 00:00:32,430 >> Amiko: So everything now remains on track for the launch on the Ariane 5 rocket correct? 9 00:00:32,430 --> 00:00:35,070 >> Eric: That's correct we're on track and we're green for launch tomorrow night. 10 00:00:35,070 --> 00:00:39,350 >> Amiko: Great and so first let me just talk to you, we talked about operations as I mentioned, 11 00:00:39,350 --> 00:00:42,860 we talked with Jerry Jason yesterday and so now I would just like to talk a little 12 00:00:42,860 --> 00:00:44,290 about yourself, tell me where you're from 13 00:00:44,290 --> 00:00:47,980 and how did you make your way to the European Space Agency? 14 00:00:47,980 --> 00:00:50,090 >> Eric: Well I'm French. 15 00:00:50,090 --> 00:00:53,060 My name is Eric Van der Wal. 16 00:00:53,060 --> 00:00:57,850 I joined the European Space Agency in 1991. 17 00:00:57,850 --> 00:01:05,040 Worked in operations, system development and finally ended up after 20 years here in Houston 18 00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:09,090 as a representative to the ISS program for ESA. 19 00:01:09,090 --> 00:01:13,780 I've been doing this job now for 10 years. 20 00:01:13,780 --> 00:01:20,470 I've been there from the beginning of the development so [inaudible] Columbus laboratory 21 00:01:20,470 --> 00:01:25,690 and all the payloads we have launched ever since and truly enjoyed it. 22 00:01:25,690 --> 00:01:26,150 >> Amiko: Great. 23 00:01:26,150 --> 00:01:30,260 So now let's just go ahead and talk about as the program representative what is your role 24 00:01:30,260 --> 00:01:33,230 with the automated transfer vehicle 3? 25 00:01:33,230 --> 00:01:38,770 >> Eric: The role with the ATV is very similar to the generic role I have and that is 26 00:01:38,770 --> 00:01:43,650 to provide a liaison function in terms of program management 27 00:01:43,650 --> 00:01:48,530 for all the interaction we have with the ISS program 28 00:01:48,530 --> 00:01:53,590 with the ATV being an integral part of the ISS. 29 00:01:53,590 --> 00:02:02,180 The in the operations part I provide assistance to the operations management functions we have 30 00:02:02,180 --> 00:02:07,190 in Europe, during the flight and the preparation for the flight of A3. 31 00:02:07,190 --> 00:02:16,730 >> Amiko: Ok and tell me real quick what is the significance of ATV3 this particular vehicle 32 00:02:16,730 --> 00:02:20,530 as opposed to the others that have gone before? 33 00:02:20,530 --> 00:02:23,250 >> Eric: Well this is the third vehicle in the series 34 00:02:23,250 --> 00:02:26,810 of five vehicles which we're going to launch. 35 00:02:26,810 --> 00:02:33,190 The importance of ATV for us is to have an independent access to the ISS 36 00:02:33,190 --> 00:02:39,120 and this is something we achieve in combination with our launch of the Iron 5 in [inaudible]. 37 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:43,070 It's politically an operation very important to us to have that access 38 00:02:43,070 --> 00:02:48,900 and then secondly we're using the ATV flags as a payment in kind 39 00:02:48,900 --> 00:02:54,800 to offset our common system operation costs which every partner shares on the ISS 40 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:59,110 and this flight will be a contribution to that offset. 41 00:02:59,110 --> 00:03:02,220 >> Amiko: Ok and so talk to me a little bit about the naming convention, 42 00:03:02,220 --> 00:03:05,890 it is Edoardo Amaldi how did we get that name? 43 00:03:05,890 --> 00:03:13,900 >> Eric: We were trying to honor scientists or visionaries in Europe which have contributed 44 00:03:13,900 --> 00:03:21,430 to the technical and scientific and cultural progress which Europe is going through 45 00:03:21,430 --> 00:03:27,810 and for the first ATV we picked the name Jules Verne which is French order 46 00:03:27,810 --> 00:03:31,950 and visionary which I think everybody knows. 47 00:03:31,950 --> 00:03:40,490 The second ATV was chosen to be called Johannes Kepler a German astronomer and mathematician 48 00:03:40,490 --> 00:03:45,260 which is very well known for his laws of planetary motion. 49 00:03:45,260 --> 00:03:50,240 Now the third ATV is an Italian Edoardo Amaldi. 50 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:58,530 He is from the 20th century, passed away in 1989. 51 00:03:58,530 --> 00:04:06,900 He was not only a nuclear physicist, he excelled and pioneered in the 1970s 52 00:04:06,900 --> 00:04:14,750 when he was doing research on gravitational waste, but what was very important is 53 00:04:14,750 --> 00:04:18,750 that similar to all the other ones they have in some way contributed 54 00:04:18,750 --> 00:04:23,440 to the European space flight we know today and Edoardo Amaldi 55 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:30,310 in the late 1950s actually was one of the pioneers which came up with the idea 56 00:04:30,310 --> 00:04:38,500 that we need to incorporate inside Europe and create a joint agency for space flight, 57 00:04:38,500 --> 00:04:42,320 which eventually became the European Space Agency today. 58 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:43,620 >> Amiko: Wow fascinating. 59 00:04:43,620 --> 00:04:48,170 So tell me a little more about the history, you mentioned the naming, naming conventions 60 00:04:48,170 --> 00:04:51,730 of the other two ATV vehicles but can you explain to me some 61 00:04:51,730 --> 00:04:57,510 of the you know how the development came about and that sort of thing, 62 00:04:57,510 --> 00:05:03,870 just some history of ATV vehicles. 63 00:05:03,870 --> 00:05:08,940 >> Eric: We started with a project called [inaudible] a very long time ago to think 64 00:05:08,940 --> 00:05:14,380 about ATVs and having something to provide resupply to the ISS, 65 00:05:14,380 --> 00:05:19,260 not only to our Columbus module and our payloads but something 66 00:05:19,260 --> 00:05:22,450 which the entire station could make use of. 67 00:05:22,450 --> 00:05:25,570 That's how the idea of the ATV was born. 68 00:05:25,570 --> 00:05:34,280 The ATV itself is making use of hardware and concepts which we have developed for MPLM 69 00:05:34,280 --> 00:05:41,310 and the Columbus module so once the ATV was born, we had to find a way 70 00:05:41,310 --> 00:05:48,710 to meet the re-supply demands of the space station and have a significant amount 71 00:05:48,710 --> 00:05:53,330 of ATVs enough so that we could offset our compensational operational costs. 72 00:05:53,330 --> 00:05:57,630 That's how we ended up with the number of ATVs we have today. 73 00:05:57,630 --> 00:06:06,000 The first ATV flew in 2008 which is about four years ago. 74 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:09,980 We regularly try to fly an ATV once a year, 75 00:06:09,980 --> 00:06:13,950 there needs to be at least a year between the ATVs. 76 00:06:13,950 --> 00:06:18,830 >> Amiko: Ok so explain to me you mentioned the Columbus module just explain to me a little 77 00:06:18,830 --> 00:06:24,930 about Europe's contributions to the International Space Station. 78 00:06:24,930 --> 00:06:28,550 >> Eric: Ok so the ATV, in terms of ATV, 79 00:06:28,550 --> 00:06:32,280 the ATV can resupply the station so we provide a service. 80 00:06:32,280 --> 00:06:34,360 There's two parts to that. 81 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:40,710 First we can the ATV has the capability to launch up to 4000 kilograms 82 00:06:40,710 --> 00:06:43,900 of propellant and I'll come back to that. 83 00:06:43,900 --> 00:06:50,280 We can launch water, we can launch gases like nitrogen, oxygen and we can launch dry cargo. 84 00:06:50,280 --> 00:06:59,660 It's right off his mate between all the elements to make sure that we have the right amount 85 00:06:59,660 --> 00:07:01,990 of propellant; versus right amount of dry cargo 86 00:07:01,990 --> 00:07:04,980 and that we're not exceeding our maximum loading. 87 00:07:04,980 --> 00:07:13,170 Edoardo Amaldi will carry more than six and a half tons of cargo. 88 00:07:13,170 --> 00:07:21,060 The advantage we have of ATV is that once we arrive 89 00:07:21,060 --> 00:07:23,780 at the station we remain docked for 6 months. 90 00:07:23,780 --> 00:07:31,790 Being docked for 6 months allows the crew to basically use what's in the ATV as needed 91 00:07:31,790 --> 00:07:36,910 and at the same time get rid of some of the trash which exists in the ISS, 92 00:07:36,910 --> 00:07:44,230 which is one other thing that ATV will do is upon it's departure it will bring down more 93 00:07:44,230 --> 00:07:51,680 than six tons of trash which will then be destructed in the re-entry of the ATV. 94 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:54,750 Once we are attached there's another [inaudible] to the station and that's where all 95 00:07:54,750 --> 00:07:56,720 of this propellant comes in to play. 96 00:07:56,720 --> 00:08:01,530 We carry propellant which we transfer directly to the Russian segment 97 00:08:01,530 --> 00:08:08,950 but we also have propellant which we use for propulsive support of the ISS deck, 98 00:08:08,950 --> 00:08:14,720 which means we will support, re-boost off the entire ISS deck. 99 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:20,480 We will support the [inaudible] maneuvers and as needed we can perform attitude control maneuvers 100 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:24,530 of the station using ATV thrusters. 101 00:08:24,530 --> 00:08:32,510 So there is a kind of a large role the ATV has in the ISS and for us operationally 102 00:08:32,510 --> 00:08:36,730 and again politically it's very important that we have this independent access 103 00:08:36,730 --> 00:08:40,490 and that there are different vehicles that the ISS can rely on. 104 00:08:40,490 --> 00:08:43,610 >> Amiko: So it not only is bringing up cargo it also is going 105 00:08:43,610 --> 00:08:48,710 to add some space and also deliver trash back. 106 00:08:48,710 --> 00:08:49,980 >> Eric: It's a very good point. 107 00:08:49,980 --> 00:08:57,610 Once the ATV is attached to the space station it becomes an integral part of the ISS volume. 108 00:08:57,610 --> 00:09:00,330 With the ATV, the pressurized compartment of the ATV adds 109 00:09:00,330 --> 00:09:05,040 about 50 cubic meters of volume to the ISS 110 00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:09,000 >>Amiko: And can you explain about what size is that just 111 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:13,800 to something that we can relate to here? 112 00:09:13,800 --> 00:09:14,930 >> Eric: How big? 113 00:09:14,930 --> 00:09:22,760 I would say its well something we can relate to it's hard to say but it's a bit smaller 114 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:25,930 than the Columbus module but that's what we're looking at. 115 00:09:25,930 --> 00:09:33,820 >> Amiko: Ok great and like the size of a double decker bus I think is what we've we actually 116 00:09:33,820 --> 00:09:35,990 have a diagram that's out right now. 117 00:09:35,990 --> 00:09:41,970 So real quick also we have a question for you that came to us from Twitter 118 00:09:41,970 --> 00:09:44,250 and we'll go ahead and ask that one for you now. 119 00:09:44,250 --> 00:09:48,320 This comes to us from Data Chick; they want to know what sort 120 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:52,090 of items will ATV 3 bring to the ISS? 121 00:09:52,090 --> 00:09:57,710 >> Eric: Ok so I don't have a detailed list 122 00:09:57,710 --> 00:10:00,550 of what we're bringing inside in terms of dry cargo. 123 00:10:00,550 --> 00:10:09,600 The dry cargo itself is consists of scientist resupply, there is logistic and maintenance, 124 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:17,150 there is re-supply items for the crew, there's a variety of what we call dry cargo, 125 00:10:17,150 --> 00:10:20,010 which items which are packed in bags and loaded in the ATV. 126 00:10:20,010 --> 00:10:26,110 The ATV has 8 racks in which we can fill up all that cargo. 127 00:10:26,110 --> 00:10:33,010 In addition to this cargo, we are bringing up a amount of propellant which we will use 128 00:10:33,010 --> 00:10:40,020 for the propulsive support, there's more than 2 tons, more than 3 tons sorry, 129 00:10:40,020 --> 00:10:42,060 there's more than 2 tons of dry cargo. 130 00:10:42,060 --> 00:10:48,050 We will bring up some water, about 280 kg of water, we will bring up propellant 131 00:10:48,050 --> 00:10:56,280 to refuel the Russian segment tanks, cause I think it's so well known that the ATV docks 132 00:10:56,280 --> 00:11:00,400 to the service module airport of the Russian segment. 133 00:11:00,400 --> 00:11:11,030 There will be about 800 almost 900 kg and so let me see and then we'll bring up some gases 134 00:11:11,030 --> 00:11:14,590 about 100 kg to re-supply the station. 135 00:11:14,590 --> 00:11:15,840 >> Amiko: Ok great. 136 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:18,980 Well thank you so much for your time here and we really do appreciate all of your work 137 00:11:18,980 --> 00:11:24,830 and I guess you'll be around for the launch of ATV 3 as well, following along. 138 00:11:24,830 --> 00:11:25,820 >> Eric: I'll be here tomorrow night.