Space Shuttle Discovery and the STS-120 crew arrived at the International Space Station at 8:40 a.m., delivering a new module and crew member to the orbital outpost.
One of the first major tasks was the station crew rotation. STS-120 Mission Specialist Daniel Tani switched places with Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Clayton Anderson, who wrapped up a four-month tour of duty as an Expedition crew member. Tani is scheduled to stay on the station until he returns to Earth with STS-122 later this year.
Tani officially became a member of Expedition 16 when his custom-made seat liner was swapped out with Anderson’s in the Soyuz spacecraft docked to the station.
Also, preparations will begin today for the first of five scheduled STS-120 spacewalks. The first spacewalk is set to kick off at 6:28 a.m. Friday.
Credit: NASA
Related stories:
NASA chief may consider extending life of shuttle program
NASA Administrator Mike Griffin said Thursday that he's examining what it would take to keep the space shuttle flying for five years past its 2010 retirement date.
Jules Verne prepares for ISS departure
(PhysOrg.com) -- In just a few days time, the historical Jules Verne mission will draw to an end. After the ATV Control Centre commands the opening of the Automated Transfer Vehicle hooks, ESA's first resupply and reboost vehicle will perform a fully automated undocking with the International Space Station on 5 September at 23:30 CEST (21:30 UT).
Computer virus goes into orbit
NASA confirmed on Wednesday that a computer virus sneaked aboard the International Space Station only to be tossed into quarantine on July 25 by security software.
NASA Engineers Complete Engine Test Series For Ares I Rocket
(PhysOrg.com) -- Engineers at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., have completed a series of tests on a key component of the J-2X engine. The J-2X powers the upper stage of the Ares I rocket, which will launch human explorers to the International Space Station and to the moon.
NASA Successfully Tests Parachute for Ares Rocket
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA and industry engineers have successfully completed the first drop test of a drogue parachute for the Ares I rocket. The drogue parachute is designed to slow the rapid descent of the spent first-stage motor, cast off by the Ares I rocket during its climb to space.
NASA Conducts Full-Scale Test Firing of Orion Jettison Motor
(PhysOrg.com) -- NASA completed a full-scale rocket motor test on Thursday, July 17, to further development of the Orion jettison motor, which will separate the spacecraft's launch abort system from the crew module during launch. Orion, the Constellation Program's crew exploration vehicle now under development, will fly to the International Space Station and be part of the spaceflight system to conduct sustained human exploration of the moon.
The International Space Station, a test-bed for future space exploration
The Heads of the International Space Station (ISS) Agencies from Canada, Europe, Japan, Russia and the United States met today at ESA Headquarters in Paris, France, to review ISS cooperation.
Station Crew Relaxes Before Second Spacewalk
Soaring high above the Earth, the Expedition 17 crew members aboard the International Space Station spent some time Monday relaxing before their second spacewalk, which is slated for about 1:10 p.m. EDT Tuesday. The crew also reviewed the spacewalk timeline and closed hatches on the station in preparation for the excursion.