PARIS, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- European scientists say their robotic space freighter, launched to carry supplies to the International Space Station, has reached its planned orbit.
The ATV Johannes Kepler, launched Wednesday aboard an Ariane rocket after a one-day delay, reached its intended orbit 161 miles above the Earth and European Space Agency controllers were preparing to begin maneuvers to match its trajectory with the ISS for a docking rendezvous in seven days, an ESA release said Thursday.
"We had an excellent orbit injection thanks to Ariane, and the spacecraft itself is performing flawlessly," ESA's Alberto Novelli said. "With the one-day launch delay, docking with the ISS is now set for one day later than initially planned, now on 24 February."
With the craft in its initial orbit, controllers will plan and conduct the first in a series of "phasing maneuvers" using Kepler's thrusters to raise the craft's altitude to match that of the ISS, presently at 217 miles above earth.
Following the maneuvers, Kepler should be just 18 miles behind the space station in the same orbit, controllers say.
