Editing Automated Transfer Vehicle (section)

===Origins===
During the 1990s, as the [[International Space Station program]] was taking place, it was collectively recognised by the 15 participating nations that, upon completion, the [[International Space Station]] (ISS), a crewed [[space station]] in [[Low Earth orbit]] (LEO), would require regular resupply missions in order to meet the needs of the onboard crew as well as to deliver apparatus to support the various scientific tests that would be performed on board. In October 1995, it was agreed that, amongst the various contributions to the ISS program that Europe would assume responsibility for under the auspices of the [[European Space Agency]] (ESA), one of them would be the ''Automated Transfer Vehicle'', or ATV; this logistics-orientated spacecraft would perform the identified resupply missions to the ISS.<ref>Jeziorski, Andrzej. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/counting-on-columbus-36998/ "Counting on Columbus."] ''Flight International'', 13 May 1998.</ref><ref name = "1998 deliv"/>

On 9 December 1998, the ESA awarded a $470 million contract to proceed with development work on the ATV to French [[aerospace]] company [[Aérospatiale]].<ref name = "1998 contract"/> While Aérospatiale served as the principal contractor for the ATV, it was joined by multiple major subcontractors, including Italian manufacturer [[Thales Alenia Space|Alenia Spazio]], Franco-British firm [[Matra Marconi Space]] and German aerospace company [[DASA|DaimlerChrysler Aerospace]] (DASA); some components were also provided by Russian firm [[S. P. Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia]].<ref name = "1998 contract"/><ref name = "1998 deliv"/> Prior to 2000, DASA was to serve as the prime contractor for production, after which the role would be gradually transferred to Aérospatiale. At the point at which the contract had been awarded, it was envisioned that the first flight of the ATV would be conducted during September 2003.<ref name = "1998 contract">[https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/european-atv-gets-go-ahead-45887/ "European ATV gets go-ahead."] ''Flight International'', 9 December 1998.</ref><ref name = "1998 deliv">[https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/special-delivery-46107/ "Special delivery."] ''Flight International'', 16 December 1998.</ref><ref name = "atv biway"/>

The launch of the first ATV, which had been named ''[[Jules Verne ATV|Jules Verne]]'', was subject to multiple delays, which were partially generated by problems encountered with the [[Ariane 5]] [[heavy-lift launch vehicle]], as well as a substantial software re-write.<ref>Warwick, Graham. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/crystal-gazing-192071/ "Crystal gazing."] ''Flight International'', 4 January 2005.</ref><ref>[https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/ariane-5-atv-bay-faces-tough-tests-198882/ "Ariane 5 ATV bay faces tough tests."] ''Flight International'', 7 June 2005.</ref><ref name = "2007 delay"/> By May 2003, it was set to be launched sometime during late 2004.<ref name = "2003 save">Furniss, Tim. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/ministers-on-european-space-rescue-mission-165413/ "Ministers on European space rescue mission."] ''Flight International'', 13 May 2003.</ref><ref>Furniss, Tim. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/face-the-facts-with-jean-yves-le-gall-166890/ "Face the facts with... Jean-Yves Le Gall."] ''Flight International'', 15 June 2003.</ref> By mid 2004, it had been announced that launch of the first ATV, which was by then undergoing electrical testing following the completion of integration work, had been postponed due to technical issues, and was reportedly scheduled to be launched during late 2005, following the issuing of a renegotiated $1.1 billion contract between the ESA and the prime contractor.<ref name = "atv biway"/><ref>Furniss, Tim. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/esa-seals-11bn-transfer-vehicle-deal-181270/ "ESA seals $1.1bn transfer vehicle deal."] ''Flight International'', 4 May 2004.</ref> In March 2005, another launch delay was declared, due to the need for greater development of the failure-mode software along with launch-window timing changes, which put the planned ATV launch back from late 2005 to an undetermined date during 2006.<ref>Coppinger, Rob. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/launch-delay-for-iss-supply-ship-195569/ "Launch delay for ISS supply ship."] ''Flight International'', 22 March 2005.</ref><ref>[https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/atv-launch-delayed-200270/ "ATV launch delayed."] ''Flight International'', 12 July 2005.</ref> In October 2005, it was clarified that the new launch date for the first ATV would be during 2007.<ref name = "2007 delay">Coppinger, Rob. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/atv-delayed-to-may-2007-202215/ "ATV delayed to May 2007."] ''Flight International'', 18 October 2005.</ref>

In September 2006, it was announced that the final stage of testing on the Ariane 5's customised ATV stage was within its final phase.<ref>Coppinger, Rob. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/testing-of-upgraded-arianes-atv-stage-enters-final-209087/ "Testing of upgraded Ariane's ATV stage enters final phase."] ''Flight International'', 19 September 2006.</ref> In December 2006, it was announced that the first ATV had completed its [[vacuum]] test, marking the successful completion of the key tests and enabling a final launch date to be set.<ref>Coppinger, Rob. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/atv-vacuum-test-completed-but-launch-date-slips-agai-211212/ "ATV vacuum test completed but launch date slips again."] ''Flight International'', 19 December 2006.</ref> In April 2007, the ATV was subject to four-month long qualification process in response to operational concerns, including safety queries originating from the U.S., and to examine the vehicle's potential commercialisation.<ref>Coppinger, Rob. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/qualification-process-to-test-esas-atv-212705/ "Qualification process to test ESA's ATV."] ''Flight International'', 20 March 2007.</ref><ref name = "2007 nasa supply">Coppinger, Rob. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/nasa-assesses-iss-supply-options-211965/ "NASA assesses ISS supply options."] ''Flight International'', 6 February 2007.</ref>