After an unexpected delay due to a faulty fuel sensor on the US Space Shuttle, ESA’s Columbus laboratory is once again set for its historic mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Atlantis is now scheduled to lift off from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 20:45 Central European Time (CET) on 7 February.
Columbus will be delivered to the Station in the Shuttle’s cargo bay. Arrival at the ISS is scheduled for Saturday 9 February at 18:23 CET. Accompanying five NASA crew members on board Atlantis will be two ESA astronauts, Léopold Eyharts of France and Hans Schlegel of Germany. Both men have been astronauts since 1998 and have flown in space once before. Their main tasks will be to install and activate Columbus.
During the Shuttle’s visit to the ISS, Schlegel will take part in two spacewalks. One of his tasks will be to fit a grapple fixture on Columbus. This will enable it to be grabbed by the Station’s robotic arm and attached to the Harmony module. Schlegel will return to Florida in the Shuttle after 14 days in orbit.
Eyharts will stay on board the Station for about two months. During this time, he will become the first European astronaut to test and operate Columbus’ systems and the European science experiments it carries.
Once Europe’s 21st century laboratory is attached, a special Control Centre in Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, will be in charge of Columbus operations. The Centre will also co-ordinate European experiments. The launch and the entire mission can be followed on the web at: www.esa.int/columbus.
