Airbus Defence and Space has the overall industrial responsibility for both the ATV and the European launcher Ariane 5.
Airbus Defence and Space is the main contractor for the Ariane 5 launcher, the reliable European “workhorse” that has been developed and constructed to fulfil a range of heavy-load missions. In the customised ES version, the launcher will propel the ATV into circular orbit at an altitude of 260 km and with a speed of 7,600 m/s.
Airbus Defence and Space builds also different experiment materials and equipment will also be delivered to the ISS. For ATV-5, during the rendezvous with ISS, and a few days prior, during a dedicated ISS fly-under, ATV will activate the Liris demonstrator. Liris will acquire in-flight data necessary to prove new rendezvous technologies in particular with non-cooperative targets such as space debris. Airbus Defence and Space developed the apparatus, which is based on the principle of electromagnetic levitation technology, as part of a series of contracts from ESA and the German Aerospace Centre (DLR).