Space exploration forum: topic
This is a public forum
Shuttle Discovery to launch huge space lab
Matt Brown
Tuesday, 27 May 2008 15:54 UTC
With all the excitement over the Mars Phoenix lander I almost forgot that the US space shuttle Discovery is due to launch on 31 May.
The orbiter is laden with a new Japanese laboratory for the International Space Station. And it’s a whopper, weighing about the same as four adult elephants (space.com).
This is the largest single module for the space station, finally nearing completion after more than 10 years on orbit.
Here’s what the station will look like after the mission (and in high-res):
Images from Nasa.
-
Replies
-
One last-minute addition to the flight’s manifest – spare toilet parts.
The Russian-built liquid-waste toilet aboard the space station has broken down.
While the astronauts do have contingency options, they’ll be mightily relieved when the visiting space shuttle supplies a fix.
-
And we’re off.
Can there be a more spectacular sight on Earth?
Discovery lifted off from Kennedy Space Centre yesterday. The ascent was on schedule and apparently flawless.
The orbiter will dock with the International Space Station on Monday. It’s busy itinerary includes the installation of the station’s largest room (the Kibo laboratory), relocation of a smaller Japanese room, repair work to a faulty solar wing joint and, crucially, fixing the station’s toilet.
-
Discovery just docked with the ISS after a two day journey. All is going well with the mission so far. The first space walk is scheduled for tomorrow, when the crew will begin installation of the massive Kibo laboratory.
-
Astronauts aboard the ISS yesterday opened the Japanese Kibo laboratrory, the largest room on the space station. Japanese Astronaut Akihiko Hoshid provided an Armstrong moment with this memorable quote:
“One engineer down on Earth said it looks very empty, but it’s full of dreams.”
Here he is on Nasa TV, looking slightly menacing:
And here’s the new lab from outside the station, surrounded by a bevy of robotic arms.
!http://a52.g.akamaitech.net/f/52/827/1d/www.space.com/images/080605-sts124-kibo-view-02.jpg"!
The orbital team also tested out methods to fix a faulty solar panel motor and, to complete the flush of success, repaired the station’s toilet.
A second spacewalk today will prepare the way for an exposed platform of experiments, due for launch next year.
The spacewalk team woke up this morning to Lenny Kravitz’ “I want to fly away”. Not a tune I’d want going through my head while clinging to the hull of a space station.
-