Astronauts set up new Columbus lab

Source: China Daily | 02-13-2008 07:46

With the Columbus lab now secured to the International Space Station, the ten orbiting astronauts rolled up their sleeves on Tuesday for their next big job: getting the lab running.

Astronaut Hans Schlegel (L) of Germany is seen inside the European Space Agency's Columbus module along with International Space Station Commander Peggy Whitson (R) shortly after the hatch was opened for the first time to the latest addition to the station in this image from  NASA TV February 12, 2008. [Agencies]

Crewmembers spent Tuesday morning hooking up power, fluid and data lines linking the new module to the station before French astronaut Leopold Eyharts briefly floated inside for the first time. Checking around with his headlamp, he said the lab appeared to be in good shape.

"This is a great moment," he said.

A formal ceremony marking the lab's grand opening was set for Tuesday afternoon.

American spacewalkers Rex Walheim and Stanley Love helped install Europe's shiny new $2 billion lab on Monday. The astronauts shouted and cheered when the 23-foot, 14-ton lab finally reached its docking port on the station, after a slow move out of Atlantis' payload bay.

Atlantis' crew got more good news on Tuesday, when Mission Control said they would not have to repair a thermal blanket that has a torn corner. Engineers are confident the blanket, located near the shuttle's tail, will stand up to the intense heat of re-entry at flight's end.