A new milestone in the preparation campaign for Ariane 5's first human-rated spacecraft passenger has been achieved with the start-up of fueling for the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).

This process, which is being performed in the S5B fueling hall of the Spaceport's S5 payload preparation building, will include loading the ATV with two sets of propellants.

The ATV's four main engines will utilize MMH fuel and MON oxidizer to propel the massive spacecraft to a rendezvous with the International Space Station following its release by Ariane 5. Also carried aboard the ATV are UDMH and N204 hypergolic propellants, which are to be delivered to the International Space Station for use by its own Russian-built propulsion module.

With an overall height of approximately 10 meters, the ATV will be one of the largest single payloads carried by Ariane 5. It was developed in a European Space Agency program and built by an Astrium-led industrial team.

The ATV is to become one of the key re-supply spacecraft for the International Space Station, carrying equipment, systems, food, water, and propellant to the orbital facility. Arianespace's launch manifest includes a total of nine ATV missions, which will be performed using the workhorse Ariane 5 vehicle.

Launch of the no. 1 ATV - which is named "Jules Verne" after France's visionary 19th century science fiction writer - is targeted for the second half of February.