Related News
Astronauts inspect shuttle on way to space station
Source: Agencies |
February 9, 2010, Tuesday
|
Online Edition
Online Edition
ENDEAVOUR'S astronauts inspected their ship early today for any launch damage as they raced toward a 200-mile (320-kilometer)-high rendezvous with the International Space Station.
Barely a day after blasting into orbit, the space shuttle crew used a 100-foot (30-meter), laser-tipped boom to check the thermal shielding on the wings and nose. A few pieces of foam insulation broke off the external fuel tank during Monday morning's launch, including a narrow 1-foot (30-centimeter) strip. But there was no indication anything hit the shuttle.
Commander George Zamka and his crew performed the routine survey to make sure the launch cameras did not miss something. A foam strike brought down the shuttle Columbia in 2003, and orbiting astronauts have carried out exhaustive inspections ever since.
The long, laborious process got under way late yesterday and was expected to stretch well into Tuesday morning.
Endeavour will catch up with the space station early Wednesday, performing a slow-motion pirouette for the cameras before docking. The close-up pictures of the shuttle's belly - impossible to see any other way in such detail - will provide even more information regarding Endeavour's health.
The shuttle is delivering a new room to the space station, as well as the biggest window ever launched, part of a fancy domed compartment. Together, the additions are worth more than US$400 million.
The five space station residents couldn't wait to see their six shuttle friends.
"Yeah! Endeavour is on our way!" Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi cheered in a Twitter update.
It's been nearly three months since the last shuttle visit. Five missions are on tap this year, then NASA plans to retire the three remaining shuttles.
The space station will be 98 percent complete once the new room, Tranquility, and seven-windowed dome are installed by Endeavour's crew. It will be the final major construction job at the station.
Tranquility eventually will house life-support and exercise equipment, and a toilet. The dome - resembling a big bay window - will provide unprecedented views of Earth, outer space and the space station itself. The round central window is 31 inches (79 centimeters) across; the six surrounding windows are smaller.
The European Space Agency provided the Tranquility and dome.
The first of three spacewalks to install those compartments is set for Thursday night.
NASA has been flying space shuttles for 29 years and building the space station for 11 years.
Barely a day after blasting into orbit, the space shuttle crew used a 100-foot (30-meter), laser-tipped boom to check the thermal shielding on the wings and nose. A few pieces of foam insulation broke off the external fuel tank during Monday morning's launch, including a narrow 1-foot (30-centimeter) strip. But there was no indication anything hit the shuttle.
Commander George Zamka and his crew performed the routine survey to make sure the launch cameras did not miss something. A foam strike brought down the shuttle Columbia in 2003, and orbiting astronauts have carried out exhaustive inspections ever since.
The long, laborious process got under way late yesterday and was expected to stretch well into Tuesday morning.
Endeavour will catch up with the space station early Wednesday, performing a slow-motion pirouette for the cameras before docking. The close-up pictures of the shuttle's belly - impossible to see any other way in such detail - will provide even more information regarding Endeavour's health.
The shuttle is delivering a new room to the space station, as well as the biggest window ever launched, part of a fancy domed compartment. Together, the additions are worth more than US$400 million.
The five space station residents couldn't wait to see their six shuttle friends.
"Yeah! Endeavour is on our way!" Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi cheered in a Twitter update.
It's been nearly three months since the last shuttle visit. Five missions are on tap this year, then NASA plans to retire the three remaining shuttles.
The space station will be 98 percent complete once the new room, Tranquility, and seven-windowed dome are installed by Endeavour's crew. It will be the final major construction job at the station.
Tranquility eventually will house life-support and exercise equipment, and a toilet. The dome - resembling a big bay window - will provide unprecedented views of Earth, outer space and the space station itself. The round central window is 31 inches (79 centimeters) across; the six surrounding windows are smaller.
The European Space Agency provided the Tranquility and dome.
The first of three spacewalks to install those compartments is set for Thursday night.
NASA has been flying space shuttles for 29 years and building the space station for 11 years.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
