As the Columbus module inched toward its permanent home on the Harmony node, spacewalkers Rex Walheim and Stan Love prepared to wind up their spacewalk.
Operating the space station robot arm, Leland Melvin, a former NFL wide receiver, lifted Columbus at 2:56 p.m. EST and started it on a several-hour trip to the Harmony docking node.
"Columbus is on the move!" said Love, as he waited for Walheim to finish disconnecting a nitrogen tank on the space station. Walheim broke torque on several bolts, so they could be removed more easily. The tank will be replaced during a Wednesday spacewalk.
The spacewalk was more than an hour behind schedule and was expected to last more than 7.5 hours.
Columbus will be connected to the space station about 4:25 p.m. EST. The module will be opened on Tuesday.
Scientists will work aboard the Columbus module.
No comments:
Post a Comment