The European Space Agency plans to sign an accord this Thursday with the French space agency (CNES) for joint development and operations of an automated transfer vehicle (ATV) control center in Toulouse, France.

The main functions of the center will be to command and control the ATV, a vehicle that would be used to supply the International Space Station. Under the contract, CNES will take responsibility for management of the center’s development and prepare, coordinate and support all ATV operations on behalf of ESA. The first ATV is expected to be launched in September.