re: The ATV potentials
Can it be adapted to carry cargo that can be accessed from the outside by EVA astronauts, and robot arms? I would expect that for such operations it would have to dock at the same port that the shuttle now does. I am assuming the aft port where it is now is not accessible by the arms. That may not be so. Also there may be some problem with the solar panels getting in the way as it docks at the shuttle port.