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Spacemen awed by 'spectacular' views of Earth
Source: Agencies |
February 18, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
IN a highly anticipated grand finale to their mission, astronauts opened the shutters on the International Space Station's new observation deck yesterday and were humbled by "absolutely spectacular" views of Earth from inside the elaborate atrium of windows.
The US$27 million lookout opened each of its seven eyes one window at a time as the crews of the station and shuttle Endeavour did their third and final space walk.
It was the moment everyone had been waiting for: The round central window - the largest ever flown in space - was the first exposed as astronauts inside cranked open the shutter as they sailed 350 kilometers above the South Pacific.
"As expected, the view through window seven is absolutely spectacular," space station commander Jeffrey Williams said. "When we have the others around it open, it will give us a view of the entire globe. Absolutely incredible."
Mission Control set the mood by beaming up a recording of Jimmy Buffett's "Window on the World."
"I don't think space station's ever going to be the same after this," Mission Control said.
The astronauts closed the round shutter covering the window, which measures 78.7 centimeters across, after three minutes to test the mechanisms. They repeated the process until all the windows were checked, opening the last two as the linked shuttle and space station flew above France and Greece.
The US$27 million lookout opened each of its seven eyes one window at a time as the crews of the station and shuttle Endeavour did their third and final space walk.
It was the moment everyone had been waiting for: The round central window - the largest ever flown in space - was the first exposed as astronauts inside cranked open the shutter as they sailed 350 kilometers above the South Pacific.
"As expected, the view through window seven is absolutely spectacular," space station commander Jeffrey Williams said. "When we have the others around it open, it will give us a view of the entire globe. Absolutely incredible."
Mission Control set the mood by beaming up a recording of Jimmy Buffett's "Window on the World."
"I don't think space station's ever going to be the same after this," Mission Control said.
The astronauts closed the round shutter covering the window, which measures 78.7 centimeters across, after three minutes to test the mechanisms. They repeated the process until all the windows were checked, opening the last two as the linked shuttle and space station flew above France and Greece.
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