Shuttle Atlantis Astronauts delay spacewalk
Posted By RichC on February 10, 2008
Space Shuttle Atlantis along with seven crew lifted off on Thursday February 7th with the mission to deliver and attach the European Science Laboratory to the International Space Station. The news hasn’t really made the front page with the deadly tornadoes and political news this past week. The seven astronauts of STS-122 docked successfully on Saturday morning with the Space Station, but are delayed due to an “undisclosed health problem” with one member. The chairman of NASA’s Mission Management Team has not release the name of the crew member, but said “It’s not life threatening.” The crew requested two private medical conferences with flight surgeons and shortly afterward mission control advised astronauts on both craft that a Sunday spacewalk would be delayed. NASA has indicated that a crewman would be working outside during the spacewalk.
According to NASA, the delay in installing the $2 billion Columbus module (science lab), will add at least one day to Atlantis’s planned 11-day mission and the landing is now planned for 10:14 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
Veteran astronaut, Navy Cmdr. Stephen N. Frick, is in command of STS-122 shuttle mission along with Navy Cmdr. Alan G. Poindexter serving as pilot. Mission specialists include Air Force Col. Rex J. Walheim, Stanley G. Love, Leland D. Melvin and European Space Agency astronaut Hans Schlegel. Poindexter, Love and Melvin will be making their first spaceflight.
Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Daniel Tani, who flew to the the space station on STS-120 mission, will return home with the STS-122 crew. STS-122 is leaving behind European Space Agency astronaut Léopold Eyharts to the complex. STS-122 is the 24th shuttle mission to the International Space Station.
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