Written by Derek Kessler on
Wednesday, 14 November 2007
Today astronauts aboard the International Space Station relocated the new Harmony Node module from its temporary dock where it was placed by the Space Shuttle Atlantis to its new home at the end of the Destiny module. Astronauts will have to perform two spacewalks next week to connect power, data, and evironmental systems to the Harmony Node.
Flight engineer Daniel Tani used the station's robotic arm to move the 16.5 ton Italian-built module. The astronauts have a busy work schedule ahead of them, with the Space Shuttle Discovery planning to launch on Demeber 6th with the ESA's Columbus laboratory aboard. The installation of the Harmony Node is critical to the future addition of Columbus and another science module from JAXA.
NASA needs to complete eleven more construction missions and two resupply missions to the ISS to finish construction before the shuttle fleet is forced into retirement in 2010. The shuttle's replacement, the Constellation Program, is not expected to enter service until 2014.
Today astronauts aboard the International Space Station relocated the new Harmony Node module from its temporary dock where it was placed by the Space Shuttle Atlantis to its new home at the end of the Destiny module. Astronauts will have to perform two spacewalks next week to connect power, data, and evironmental systems to the Harmony Node.
