"Albert Einstein" moored to the ISS

The ATV-4 European Transport Ship Albert Einstein was attached to the Russian segment of the International Space Station, Interfax reports with reference to the flight management center.

During the rapprochement with the station, the ship made four stops at a distance of it three and a half kilometers, 250 meters, 20 meters and 12 meters. In all these points, if something would not go according to the program, the ship could interrupt the docking procedure.

The docking took place 20 minutes later than planned, since the European space agency needed extra time to check the performance of laser reflectors. They, as experts were afraid, could damage the Russian Progress cargo ship, which did not open the antenna after the start.

The head of the representative office of the European Space Agency, Rene Pishel, who was present at the junction at the center of flight management, informed reporters that until the last moment it was unclear, the reflectors were laid out. “When there was a story from the antenna“ progress ”, the Russian Rocket and Space Corporation“ Energia ”made calculations and tests that the distance between the antenna ship and our mirror (laser reflector) was very little. There was a fear that it was touched. When the“ progress ”was plundered, it was clear that the casing of the antennas was bent,” he explained.

ATV is the only spaceship, in addition to Russian "progress" that can perform the functions of refueling, orientation and regular correction of the ISS orbit. In addition, in the event of a threat of a collision with ATV cosmic garbage, the station evasion can perform.

ATV-1 Jules Verne was launched in 2008. The next ATV "Johann Kepler" went to orbit in 2011. In 2012, the ISS made flights 3 "Edoardo Amaldi" at the ISS. The fifth European truck, named after the Belgian scientist Georges Lemetra, will be launched in 2014.