European space project deemed a success

Europe's most ambitious space project has been successfully launched.

An unmanned craft called the Jules Verne has blasted off from French Guiana, to take fuel and supplies to astronauts on the International Space Station.

The Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) will attach to the station for a 6 month period.

“While we're off-loading the cargo to the Space Station that the astronauts need, we'll be also putting back in the waste products that they've been generating after the last few months,” says project manager John Ellwood.

“After the six months, ATV will then separate and re-enter into the earth burning up very safely over an area where there's no population.”