Astrobiology: Latest News

2002-10-10 | MISSIONS
Shuttle Crew Arrives at Space Station, Begins First Spacewalk

The crew of the International Space Station welcomed the astronauts of Space Shuttle Atlantis when the hatch between the two spacecraft was opened at 9:51 a.m. Pacific Wednesday. Hugs and smiles, backslapping and laughter marked the elated celebration as the shuttle crew entered the station and greeted the station crew. With the astronauts merged into a single team, they went to work on preparations for today, the busiest day of Shuttle mission STS-112.

Construction of the station resumed this morning as astronauts Sandy Magnus and Peggy Whitson maneuvered the station's robotic arm to grapple the huge S1 Truss, pry it from the Shuttle's payload bay, and mount it on the station. S1 is the third of 11 segments of the Integrated Truss, which eventually will stretch 356 feet across and support four huge solar wings. Astronauts David Wolf and Piers Sellers left the station on the first of three spacewalks (also called extravehicular activities or EVAs) to activate and outfit the S1 Truss. Completion of the station will significantly expand its capacity for research into how Earth life responds to living beyond Earth—one of astrobiology's main goals.

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