Europe's Last ATV Spacecraft Heads to the ISS

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Europe launched the last of its ATV cargo spacecraft Tuesday, marking the end of a six-year mission to keep the International Space Station stocked with supplies.

The Automated Transfer Vehicle, which was sent into space on top of an Ariane 5 launcher from Kourou, French Guiana, is basically an unmanned cargo box — a spacecraft roughly the size of the old Apollo command module.

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The European Space Agency had it running missions to the ISS every 17 months or so, where it would deliver 6.6 tons of equipment — including food, water and even air supplies. Read more...

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from MashableStan Schroeder