Editing Automated Transfer Vehicle (section)

== Evolution proposals ==
In addition to its principal role as a one-way uncrewed cargo transfer vehicle, from the onset of work on the project, the ESA had viewed the ATV as having the potential for being the starting point for a whole family of automated space vehicles.<ref name = "1998 deliv"/> Amongst the conceived missions for ATV-derived vehicles have been orbital automated construction programmes and independent bases for experiments, as well as a potential upgraded version of the ATV that would survive reentry intact, enabling its use as a two-way cargo transfer vehicle.<ref name = "1998 deliv"/><ref name = "atv biway">Warwick, Graham and Rob Coppinger. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/europe-plans-iss-cargo-return-184516/ "Europe plans ISS cargo return."] ''Flight International'', 20 July 2004.</ref> The potential commercialisation of the ATV was also the subject of a formal study conducted by the ESA, during which the prospects of using the spacecraft as a dedicated tug for satellites, as well as the use of alternative launch systems, were examined.<ref>[https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/commercial-atv-61236/ "Commercial ATV."] ''Flight International'', 25 January 2000.</ref>

Following the decision by NASA to retire the [[Space Shuttle]] in 2011, the ESA decided to launch a further series of studies to determine the potential for evolutions and adaptations of the ATV. As a result of these studies, the cargo return version (CARV) was identified as a particularly promising candidate for further development. The goal of this variant is to provide ESA with the capability to transport scientific data and cargo from the [[International Space Station|ISS]] to Earth. Beyond this, CARV could be enhanced to become a crew vehicle which would be launched by an adapted [[Ariane 5]].

; Mini Space Station: The MSS concept is an ATV evolution proposal for the construction of multiple ATVs with two docking ports, one at each end. The current version of the ATV is already prepared for a docking port at the back, with the main propulsion system arranged in a cylindrical fashion leaving room for a tunnel through the middle. This concept would allow [[Soyuz spacecraft|Soyuz]], [[Progress spacecraft|Progress]] and other ATVs to dock to the back of the ATV, allowing a steady flow of Russian vehicles using the available docking ports whilst an ATV is docked for an average of around 6 months at a time.<ref name = "ATV Evo"/>

; Payload Retrieval System: The PARES would have included a small ballistic capsule similar to [[VBK-Raduga]] embedded into the ATV docking interface, which would have brought back a few tens of kilograms of payload. PARES could have featured a deployable heat shield system. The [[European Space Agency]] was also proposing the system for use with the [[Progress spacecraft]] and the [[H-II Transfer Vehicle|H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV)]].<ref name = "ATV Evo"/><ref>[https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/pares-to-complete-study-phase-196173/ "PARES to complete study phase."] ''Flight International'', 5 April 2005.</ref>

; Cargo Ascent and Return Vehicle: The CARV would deliver a redesigned capsule, capable of bringing back payload from orbit. It could be installed in place of the ATV pressurized cargo hold. In addition, it could be adapted to use a berth rather than a docking port at the US side of the station. Given the larger [[Common Berthing Mechanism|berthing ports]] there, it would be possible to transfer complete [[International Standard Payload Rack]]s (ISPRs) from the ATV to the station, which is only possible with the [[H-II Transfer Vehicle]].<ref name = "ATV Evo"/>

; Crew Transport Vehicle:This is another option under consideration. Similar to the CARV variant, this would replace the current [[Integrated Cargo Carrier]] with a pressurized re-entry capsule. A significant difference with the cargo-only variant would be the presence of a Crew Escape System, consisting of a number of booster rockets able to pull the crew capsule away from the launcher (Ariane 5) and/or Service Module in the event of an emergency. The CTV variant of the ATV could be able to seat 4 or 5 crew members.<ref name="ATV Evo">{{cite news|url=https://gsp.esa.int/documents/10192/43064675/C18303ExS.pdf/1638b0f2-0abb-4f7c-995d-f9d29d52d820|title=ATV Evolution&nbsp;— Executive Summary|access-date=15 March 2008|publisher=[[EADS]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Possibilities for launching of the ATV on other launchers than the Ariane 5 have also been investigated, in particular in the frame of [[Commercial Orbital Transportation Services]]. ESA and its member states will consider approval for further ATV development in the coming years.<ref name = "ATV Evo"/>

<gallery mode="packed">
File:Cargo Ascent and Return Vehicle docked to the ISS.jpg|An MSS could be used as a small orbital lab
File:ATV PARES.JPG|PARES capsules would be able to hold a few kg of cargo
File:ATV CARV.JPG|CARV would be used to transport a large amount of cargo to Earth
</gallery>

=== Proposed crewed version ===
{{main|CSTS}}
[[File:Automated Transfer Vehicle capsule - 3D render.jpg|thumb|A 3D rendering of the proposed ATV derived crewed transportation system.]]
Both the ESA and the manufacturing team have considered various programmes under which the ATV, or portions of the technologies composing it, would have been developed into a crewed configuration.<ref>Coppinger, Rob. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/europeans-jostle-for-cevbid-work-193655/ "Europeans jostle for CEVbid work."] ''Flight International'', 8 February 2005.</ref>

On 14 May 2008, aerospace company [[Airbus Defence and Space|EADS Astrium]] and the [[German Aerospace Center]] (DLR), announced that they were actively pursuing a development project with the aim of adapting the ATV into a crew transportation system.<ref>{{cite news | title = Europe could get manned spaceship |work=BBC News | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7398517.stm | date=13 May 2008 | access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref> In the envisioned configuration, the craft would be able to launch a 3-person crew beyond [[Low Earth orbit|LEO]] via use of a modified version of the [[Ariane 5]] rocket and would be more spacious than the Russian Soyuz. A mock-up of the proposed craft was publicly displayed at the 2008 [[Internationale Luft- und Raumfahrtausstellung|International Aerospace Exhibition]] in Berlin.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite news | title = Berlin unveils 'crewed spaceship' |work=BBC News | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7419793.stm | date=28 May 2008 | access-date=1 January 2010}}</ref> If the project were to have been given ESA approval, development would have proceeded in two stages:<ref>{{cite news | title = Celebrating the Accomplishment, Preparing the Future&nbsp;— New Challenges in Human Spaceflight and Exploration ' | publisher = ESA | url = http://www.esa.int/esapub/bulletin/bulletin135/bul135b_dipippo.pdf }}</ref>

* The first stage would have involved the development of an Advanced Reentry Vehicle (ARV)<ref name="esa2">{{cite web | title = End-to-end European transportation capability: The Advanced Reentry Vehicle | publisher = ESA | url =http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMKCY4DHNF_iss_0.html|access-date=8 March 2015 }}</ref> capable of transporting up to 1,500&nbsp;kg of cargo from space to earth safely (see ''CARV'' above) by 2015.<ref name="esa1">{{cite web | title = 'Jules Verne' Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) Information Kit | publisher = ESA | url = http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/ATV/infokit/english/Complete_Infokit_ATVreentry.pdf |access-date=8 March 2015}}</ref> This capability would be available to ESA even if further development were to be halted. It would prove useful in the ISS program as well as the proposed [[Mars Sample Return Mission]] with NASA. ARV development would make use of work done on the [[Atmospheric Reentry Demonstrator]], [[Crew Return Vehicle]] and related projects. The budget for this stage of the ATV overhaul would reportedly be €300&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news | title = Europe Plans to Build Manned Spaceship |work=Der Spiegel | url = http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,553276,00.html |access-date=8 March 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = European manned spaceship design unveiled in Berlin | publisher = The Register | url = https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/05/28/esa_jules_verne_manned_ship_plan/ |date = 28 May 2008}}</ref><ref name="flightglobal1">{{cite news | title = ESA aims for manned capsule by 2020 | work = FlightGlobal | url = http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/07/21/225944/esa-aims-for-manned-capsule-by-2020.html |date= 21 July 2008}}</ref>
* The second stage would adapt the then existing capsule to be able to transport people safely as well as upgrade the propulsion and other systems in the service module and would last 4 to 5 years at a cost of "a couple of billion <nowiki>[</nowiki>euro<nowiki>]</nowiki>" according to a senior Astrium representative.<ref name="autogenerated1"/><ref>{{cite news | title = Europe Plans Manned Spaceship |work=Business Week | url = http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/may2008/gb20080514_021347.htm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080520181241/http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/content/may2008/gb20080514_021347.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 20 May 2008 |date = 14 May 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Europe Aims For Re-entry Spacecraft | date = 15 October 2008 | publisher = [[Space.com]] | url = http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/081015-tw-future-launcher.html|access-date=8 March 2015}}</ref>

In November 2008, ESA ministers budgeted for a feasibility study into developing a re-entry capsule for the ATV, a requirement for developing either a cargo return capacity or a crew version of the ATV.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7749761.stm |work=BBC News | title=Europe's 10bn-euro space vision | date=26 November 2008 | access-date=31 March 2010}}</ref> On 7 July 2009, the ESA signed a €21&nbsp;million study contract with EADS Astrium.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.space-airbusds.com/en/news2/atv-johannes-kepler-put-through-its-paces-k1e.html |title=ATV 'Johannes Kepler' put through its paces |access-date=15 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109183909/http://www.space-airbusds.com/en/news2/atv-johannes-kepler-put-through-its-paces-k1e.html |archive-date=9 January 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMJQF6CTWF_index_0.html |title=ESA Human Spaceflight and Exploration – Advanced Reentry Vehicle activities begin with contract signature |publisher=ESA |date=7 July 2009 |access-date=1 March 2011}}</ref> The ARV effort was ultimately discontinued after completing the B1 stage due to fiscal constraints resulting from the [[2008 financial crisis]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.euronews.net/2011/05/18/the-space-truck/ |title=The Space Truck |publisher=euronews |date=18 May 2011 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110605194331/http://www.euronews.net/2011/05/18/the-space-truck/| archive-date= 5 June 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref>