14 DAY TRIAL // Albert Einstein, the fourth resupply spacecraft the European Space Agency sent to the International Space Station, met its fiery end on Saturday, November 2, when it was de-orbited and destroyed high in Earth's atmosphere.
The Automatic Transfer Vehicle delivered supplies and scientific equipment to the ISS some 10 days after its launch, on June 5. It set a record for the heaviest launch ever performed by an Ariane 5 delivery system, weighing nearly 20 tonnes.
During its time on the ISS, the capsule was used to boost the station's altitude 6 times. These procedures, called reboosts, ensure that atmospheric drag does not slow the orbital facility down to the point where it falls back to Earth. Russian-built Progress capsules also contributed to the reboosts.
Albert Einstein un-docked from the station at 08:55 GMT on October 28. Atmospheric reentry started on Saturday, at 12:04 GMT, as the ATV broke apart above the southern Pacific Ocean.
“The mission went perfectly, which for me and the ATV team or any space mission is a great thing,” said the manager of the ATV-4 mission, ESA official Alberto Novelli.