Europe's Johannes Kepler ATV Job Done

After practically four months attached to the International Space Station, Europe's Automated Transfer Vehicle will plunge into the atmosphere over the South Pacific on 20 June. The Johannes Kepler mission was the second flight of this space freighter resupplying and servicing the orbital complex. For ESA and its international partners all the mission objectives - and more - were fully achieved and thoughts have now immediately turned to the next ATV flight early next year.