![](\"http:\/\/www.esa.int\/var\/esa\/storage\/images\/esa_multimedia\/images\/2016\/07\/atv_docking_ring\/16080926-1-eng-GB\/ATV_docking_ring_small.jpg\")
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\nThe docking ring used by ESA\u2019s Automated Transfer Vehicle<\/a> cargo spacecraft for five missions to the International Space Station is displayed in the laboratory corridor of ESA\u2019s technical heart in the Netherlands.\n<\/p>\n \nSupplied by Russia\u2019s space agency, and carried by Russia\u2019s own ferry craft, it is designed to work with docking ports on the Russian part of the Space Station.\n<\/p>\n \nThe extended probe made contact with the Station\u2019s receptor and then retracted to join the vehicles together<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n \nSensors on the ring detected that the interface was safely tightened, after which a set of four hooks engaged to strengthen hold of the 20-tonne ATV on the orbital complex. Four further hooks extended from the Station side for a firm grip.\n<\/p>\n \nEmbedded within the ring are electrical and data connections so that ATV could receive power from the Station and their computers could communicate. Fluid links transferred propellants and air into the Station\u2019s tanks.\n<\/p>\n \nThe ring also includes the hatch for the crew to enter and unload the ferry. At the end of ATV\u2019s mission, springs gently pushed it away from the Station without the need for firing any thrusters.\n<\/p>\n \nTours of ESA\u2019s site offered by the Space Expo<\/a> visitor centre include the laboratory corridor. Space Expo also has an example of the Station side of the docking system on display.\n<\/p>\n \nThe docking ring will also be on show to visitors during this year\u2019s Open Day<\/a> on Sunday 2 October \u2013 to register to visit, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \nThe docking ring used by ESA’s Automated Transfer Vehicle<\/a> cargo spacecraft for five missions to the International Space Station is displayed in the laboratory corridor of ESA’s technical heart in the Netherlands.\n<\/p>\n \nSupplied by Russia’s space agency, and carried by Russia’s own ferry craft, it is designed to work with docking ports on the Russian part of the Space Station.\n<\/p>\n \nThe extended probe made contact with the Station’s receptor and then retracted to join the vehicles together<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n \nSensors on the ring detected that the interface was safely tightened, after which a set of four hooks engaged to strengthen hold of the 20-tonne ATV on the orbital complex. Four further hooks extended from the Station side for a firm grip.\n<\/p>\n \nEmbedded within the ring are electrical and data connections so that ATV could receive power from the Station and their computers could communicate. Fluid links transferred propellants and air into the Station’s tanks.\n<\/p>\n \nThe ring also includes the hatch for the crew to enter and unload the ferry. At the end of ATV’s mission, springs gently pushed it away from the Station without the need for firing any thrusters.\n<\/p>\n \nTours of ESA’s site offered by the Space Expo<\/a> visitor centre include the laboratory corridor. Space Expo also has an example of the Station side of the docking system on display.\n<\/p>\n \nThe docking ring will also be on show to visitors during this year’s Open Day<\/a> on Sunday 2 October – to register to visit, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":615444,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-242301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-multimedia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242301","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=242301"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242301\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":242302,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242301\/revisions\/242302"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/615444"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=242301"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=242301"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=242301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/p>\n