Editing Automated Transfer Vehicle (section)

===Production===
Following multiple restructuring and ownership changes,<ref>Jasper, Chris. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/astrium-business-to-split-into-satellite-and-launche-127952/ "Astrium business to split into satellite and launcher arms."] ''Flight International'', 27 March 2001.</ref><ref name = "2003 save"/> the prime contractor for the ATV became [[Airbus Defence and Space]], which led a consortium of many sub-contractors. While development work had been started in [[Les Mureaux]], France, much of the activity relocated to [[Bremen (city)|Bremen]], Germany, as the project moved from its development to the production stage, in which work on the four initial units started. In order to facilitate the relationship between the contractor and the ESA, an integrated ESA team at the Les Mureaux site was established and maintained for the duration of the development.{{Citation needed|date=March 2017}}

Airbus Defence and Space builds the ATVs in its facility in Bremen. In 2004, contracts and accords were signed for four additional ATVs, which were envisioned to be launched at a rate of around one every two years, bringing the total order, including the first, ''Jules-Verne'', to five vehicles. According to the [[German Aerospace Center]] (DLR), the development cost of the ATV was approximately €1.35&nbsp;billion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dlr.de/iss/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-4609//7588_read-11385/ |title=Europe sets a course for the ISS |publisher=German Aerospace Center |date=25 February 2008 |access-date=17 August 2011}}</ref> Reportedly, each ATV spacecraft was costed at roughly US$300&nbsp;million, which did not include launch costs.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0912/01atvhtv/ |title=Space station partners assess logistics needs beyond 2015 |author=Stephen Clark |publisher=Spaceflight Now |date=1 December 2009 |access-date=1 December 2009| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091204012947/http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0912/01atvhtv/| archive-date= 4 December 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref> In March 2005, [[RSC Energia]] signed a €40&nbsp;million contract with one of the main subcontractors of Airbus Defence and Space, the Italian company [[Alenia Spazio]] (now [[Thales Alenia Space]]), to supply the Russian Docking System, refuelling system, and Russian Equipment Control System.<ref name="RSC-deal">{{cite press release |url=http://www.comspacewatch.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=16465 |title=Alenia Spazio signs contract with RSC-Energia for the production phase of the ATV space vehicle |date=22 March 2005 |access-date=31 March 2009 |publisher=Alenia Spazio |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070814065159/http://www.comspacewatch.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=16465 |archive-date=14 August 2007}}</ref> Within the Airbus Defence and Space led project, Thales Alenia Space is responsible for the pressurized cargo carrier section of the ATV and manufactures these at the firm's facility in [[Turin]], Italy.{{Citation needed|date=March 2017}}

On 31 July 2007, the first ATV, ''Jules Verne'', arrived at the ESA spaceport in [[Kourou]], French Guiana, after a nearly two-week journey from [[Rotterdam]] harbour.<ref name="ESA-shipping">{{cite web |url=http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMRMJWUP4F_index_0.html |title=ATV arrives at Europe's Spaceport |publisher=[[European Space Agency]] |date=1 August 2007 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070808112650/http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMRMJWUP4F_index_0.html| archive-date= 8 August 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref> On 9 March 2008, ''Jules Verne'' was launched on top of an Ariane 5 rocket from Kourou.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Worldwide_Testing_And_ISS_Traffic_Push_ATV_Launch_To_Autumn_2007_999.html | title = Worldwide Testing And ISS Traffic Push ATV Launch To Autumn 2007 | publisher = SpaceDaily | date = 23 March 2007}}</ref><ref>Coppinger, Rob. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/europes-cargo-spaceship-makes-maiden-flight-towards-222112/ "Europe's cargo spaceship makes maiden flight towards space station."] ''Flight International'', 10 March 2008.</ref> On 3 April 2008, ''Jules Verne'' succeeded in automatically docking with the ISS, proving the capabilities of the ESA's first fully automated, expendable cargo resupply spacecraft.<ref>Coppinger, Rob. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/atv-an-automatic-success-222457/ "ATV: An automatic success."] ''Flight International'', 1 April 2008.</ref><ref>Coppinger, Rob. [https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/esas-cargo-spaceship-achieves-automatic-docking-222763/ "ESA's cargo spaceship achieves automatic docking."] ''Flight International'', 7 April 2008.</ref> The arrival of the ATV came at a time at which there were public concerns over the logistical practicality of supplying the ISS.<ref>[https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/science-could-be-victim-of-iss-cargo-pressure-327223/ "Science could be victim of ISS cargo pressure."] ''Flight International'', 3 June 2009.</ref>

In addition to its use by ESA and Russia, the ATV was at one point under consideration to perform services for NASA as part of the [[Commercial Orbital Transportation Services]] program to replace the retiring [[Space Shuttle]] in its orbital cargo carrying capacity.<ref name = "2007 nasa supply"/> Under the proposal, which had been issued by a joint venture between EADS and [[Boeing]], the ATV would be launched from [[Cape Canaveral]], Florida, using a [[Delta IV]] rocket.<ref>[https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/boeing-set-to-offer-delta-iv-launched-atv-196453/ "Boeing set to offer Delta IV-launched ATV."] ''Flight International'', 12 April 2005.</ref><ref>Sirko, Robert., Kevin Reyes and Jacques Breton. [http://iafastro.directory/iac/archive/browse/IAC-06/D2/3/5846/ "Compatibility of Delta IV with the Transfer Vehicles HTV and ATV for Cargo Delivery."] ''International Astronautical Federation'', 2006.</ref> One speculated use for NASA's ATV was to achieve the de-orbiting of the ISS once the space station had reached the end of its service life, being the only vehicle capable of doing so at that time after the Shuttle's retirement.<ref>[https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/nasa-may-buy-esas-atv-to-de-orbit-iss-at-end-of-lif-215291/ "NASA may buy ESA's ATV to de-orbit ISS at end of life."] ''Flight International'', 3 July 2007.</ref> Ultimately, the proposal was not awarded with a corresponding contract.{{Cn|date=July 2021}}