spacetoday.net: ATV Jules Verne reenters

Posted: Tue, Sep 30, 2008, 6:52 AM ET (1052 GMT)
ATV Jules Verne reentry (ESA)

Europe's first ISS cargo spacecraft, the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) "Jules Verne", ended its mission Monday with a planned destructive reentry over the south Pacific. The ATV reentered at 9:31 am EDT (1331 GMT) and broke up in the upper atmosphere, with any surviving debris splashing down into a designated region of the Pacific 12 minutes later. The spacecraft, the first of several planned by ESA, launched in March on an Ariane 5 and docked with the ISS in early April. The ATV undocked from the station in early September and spent about three weeks rephasing its orbit for reentry. The ATV delivered food, water, and other cargo to the station and also reboosted the station's orbit during its time attached to the station.