ATV-4_over_EarthNovember 2, 2013: The European Space Agency’s fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), known as “Albert Einstein”, successfully completed its resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The ATV was launched into orbit on June 5, 2013 via an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana. It reached ISS and docked to the aft port of the ISS Russian Segment “Zvezda” module on June 15, 2013. After a successful five-month attached phase that included multiple reboosts of ISS and many other operations, Albert Einstein undocked and burned up harmlessly in the upper atmosphere over the Pacific Ocean at 12:04 GMT on November 2nd, 2013. Odyssey supports all ATV missions through its work with NASA Johnson Space Center.

Congratulations to the entire ESA team! For more information about the ATV or the Albert Einstein mission, visit the ATV website: http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/ATV