The Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) is an unmanned servicing and logistics vehicle to be used for the periodic resupply of the International Space Station. 

The ATV will provide the following services to the International Space Station:

• Delivery of cargoes to the Station (such as experiments, food, compressed air and water)
• Refuelling of the Station (i.e. the transfer of propellant to the Zarya (FGB) module)
• Reboost and attitude control during reboost of the whole Station

The ATV  is comprised of a spacecraft and an Integrated Cargo Carrier. The ATV has an upload capability of up to 7.5 metric tonnes and a download capability of up to 6.5 metric tonnes (for a 400 km, 51.60° orbit). It can carry both dry and liquid cargoes in the same mission. Up to 840 kg of water can be accommodated, as well as 100 kg of air or oxygen or nitrogen. Dry cargo of up to 5500 kg is located in a pressurized environment in the secondary structure of the Cargo Carrier. 

The industrial structure for the ATV is as follows:

Prime Contractor - EADS Launch Vehicles is the prime contractor for the European Space Agency (ESA) to design and build the ATV.

Aerospatiale Les Mureaux (France) is prime contractor, and in charge of ATV development. Aerospatiale's Les Mureaux establishment is responsible for:

     -  overall management
     -  overall verification of the vehicle and support to ESA for external interfaces, requirements, establishment and negotiations
     -  system engineering - vehicle engineering - flight software - vehicle testing

Daimler Chrysler Aerospace Bremen (Germany) is prime contractor for ATV production. The production phase began in 2000, subject to timely approval by ESA members of the International Space Station Exploitation Program. Daimler Chrysler Aerospace is in charge of:

     - the propulsion and reboost subsystem
     - spacecraft integration

Aerospatiale Les Mureaux and Daimler Chrysler Aerospace are divisions of EADS.

Other Industrial Contractors

Alenia Spazio (Italy) - Cargo Carrier development, thermal control studies
Matra Marconi Space (France) - Avionics equipment development, Avionics Bay integration, Guidance Navigation and Control algorithms and software for rendez-vous
Oerlikon Contraves (Switzerland) - Spacecraft structure subsystem, Dynamic models
Alcatel Bell Telephone (Belgium) - Electrical Ground Support equipment