Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

How Long Can the ISS Really Last?

ISS as seen by the departing Endeavour crew on STS-130. Credit: NASA

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How long can the International Space Station really operate – until 2020, or 2028 or beyond? I recently had the chance to talk with Mark Uhran, NASA’s Assistant Associate Administrator of the ISS. We were both attending a conference on water sustainability at Kennedy Space Center, but Uhran took the time to talk with me about the state of our space station, NASA’s new budget and how that might affect ISS operations, and — speaking of water — how is the urine recycling system working these days?

You can also hear an audio version of this interview on the March 28 edition of 365 Days of Astronomy.

Universe Today: How are things going as far the extension of the ISS? I heard there was recently a meeting with the international partners where they said it could be extended to 2028 if need be.

Mark Uhran. Credit: NASA

Mark Uhran: We’ve made the decision in the United States as part of the President’s budget proposal to Congress, so we’re over the hump here in the US. And then we began a series of meetings with the partners starting in Japan last week. Of course each of the partners has been working with us for the past 12-18 months, but they are fully prepared to approach their governments and ask for an extension. There are no technical obstacles to extending to at least 2020, and we’re also going to be doing an evaluation to what the ultimate lifetime of the ISS might be. That evaluation is in process. So we’re looking at whether we can go as long as 2028, but that remains to be seen.

Universe Today: Since we’re here talking about water, how are things going with the recycling system up there on the station. I know there have been some glitches here and there.

Uhran: The station has been a real testbed for developing regenerative water and air technologies. We knew at the time deploying these systems they would be in a testbed mode, and it would probably take about a year to shakedown all the systems and we are making steady progress towards doing just that. All the systems are working today – that’s not to say they will be working tomorrow. We certainly do expect them to go up and down throughout the course of the year as we fine tune them and work out the details. By the end of this year we hope to add a Sabatier (carbon dioxide reduction system) reactor that will allow us produce yet further water on orbit.

NASA"s Water Recovery System for the ISS. Credit: NASA

Hauling water is a very expensive proposition for us. Once the Sabatier is up there later this year, we’ll have basically the entire designed system deployed and I’m confident by this time next year we’ll have worked out all the filtration issues, the film formation issues, and precipitant issues and we’ll have this tuned so that it is basically available 90% of the time, which is an outstanding availability rate. So, this has been very worthwhile from our point of view not just because of the cost of hauling water to the space station but for the implications for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit.

Universe Today: The new NASA budget, which eliminates Constellation, how do you see that affecting space station operations?

Uhran: Well, space station is relatively small factor in that new budget. We’ve been extended, which is a major achievement from our point of view. But in terms of financial constraints, we are pretty well prepared now to go ahead and operate until the end of the decade, as well as to ramp up our research program on the station. With the assembly process being completed, the crew time now becomes available for supporting research. So most of our activities this year are geared towards repositioning our utilization program so that when the shuttle stops flying and the commercial cargo resupply services begin we are ready to ramp up that program aggressively, and that’s going very well.

Universe Today: I’ve been here at Kennedy Space Center for about a month and a half and a lot of the people here are talking about a possible extension for the space shuttle program. What are your thoughts on that?

Uhran: Well, the shuttle was certainly required for the assembly phase because we were hauling 20 metric ton elements up to orbit. It literally is the equivalent of a six-wheeler truck. But for the utilization phase, we can continue to maintain and operate the space station at much lower supply rates; typically 3 metric tons on a half a dozen to a dozen times a year. So there are other vehicles both that our international partners bring to the table as well as we’re hoping that the commercial US industry will demonstrate in the next 12-24 months that really will meet our needs once those are available. So although we’d all like to see the shuttles continue to fly forever, we really don’t have a requirement on space station for that kind of relatively heavy lift capability.

A close-up look at the Solar Alpha Rotary Joint. Credit: NASA

Universe Today: Another issue that has been sort of looming for the space station is the solar alpha rotary joints (SARJ). Any progress on understanding why they aren’t working as hoped?

Uhran: Well, they are working now. And the failure analysis has been completed. So we know the root causes of the problem. The most challenging mechanisms in any spacecraft system are rotating mechanisms. So the control moment gyros, the solar array rotary joints, the thermal radiator rotary joints – they are all rotating mechanisms. And we’re passing power through those mechanisms, which adds to the complexity. So we think that we have all these under control. It turned out with the SARJ that we have determined the cause of the failure, and we’re doing, really two things. We’re operating the system more gently – we ramp it up more slowly, we stop it more slowly. That doesn’t put as much load on the system. And we find that is applicable to all our systems. The more gently we can operate them the less loads they bear and the longer their lifetime. So we’ll be operating the system more gently and we’ll be lubricating them more regularly. So between those two approaches, we’re pretty confident we won’t have any more problems with the SARJ. We do have a couple of tricks in our pocket in the case that we do see further problems but we think we can get there with the two remedial actions we’ve got now.

Universe Today: To do the lubrication requires a spacewalk?

Uhran: It’s an EVA based activity, yes. It is relatively simple. And not even that time consuming. We were lubricating before, we’ll just increase the frequency.

Thanks to Mark Uhran for taking the time to talk with Universe Today. For more information on the International Space station, visit www.nasa.gov/station.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Snowy Soyuz Touchdown!

Soyuz reentry captured by Soichi Noguchi on the ISS. "Looooong trail of Soyuz re-entry. See the shadow over "lower" cloud layer? Left side is Caspian Sea. Welcome home, Jeff and Max!" Noguchi wrote.

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In what was likely a softer –albeit colder — Soyuz landing than usual, ISS Expedition 22 astronaut Jeff Williams and cosmonaut Max Suraev landed their Soyuz TMA-16 spacecraft on the snowy steppes of Kazakhstan Thursday, wrapping up a five-and-a-half-month stay aboard the International Space Station. The entire process of undocking and re-entry of the Soyuz was captured by the newest and hottest space photographer, Soichi Noguchi, (@Astro_Soichi) who has been sending down amazing Twitpics from space. See his very unique images below.

Suraev was at the controls of the spacecraft as it undocked at 8:03 GMT (4:03 a.m. EDT) from the station’s Poisk module. The duo landed at 11:24 GMT (7:24 a.m. EDT) at a site northeast of the Kazakh town of Arkalyk. The recovery teams had to work in frigid temperatures to help the crew exit the Soyuz and readjust to gravity, and then transport them to the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Star City, outside of Moscow.

Soyuz departing from the ISS. Credit: NASA/JAXA/Soichi Noguchi

“Fly safe my friends!” wrote @Astro_Soichi.

See all of Noguchi’s photos at his Twitpic page.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

ISS Astronaut Sends Twitpics of Chile Earthquake Aftermath

Santiago, the capital city of Chile. One day after the Mega earthquake(M8.8) hit the country. We wish the earliest recovery. Credit: Soichi Noguchi

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Astronaut Soichi Noguchi, (@Astro_Soichi) who has taken full advantage of being able to use Twitter live from the International Space Station, has been sending down a stream of images he has taken of Chile following the magnitude 8.8 earthquake that hit the country early Saturday. Just recently, he posted the above image, taken directly over Santiago. “Santiago, the capital city of Chile. One day after the Mega earthquake(M8.8) hit the country. We wish the earliest recovery,” Noguchi wrote on Twitter. He also took a video of the ISS astronaut’s view as they flew over Chile earlier today, below.

Here’s another image Noguchi took from the ISS, of the coastline of Chile, near Santiago.

Near Santiago, Chile. Coast line. Credit: Soichi Noguchi

And another, near Concepcion, Chile.

Coastline near Concepcion, Chile. Credit: Soichi Noguchi

For more images from space, follow @Astro_Soichi on Twitter.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

End of an Era: “Lasts” for Shuttle Program

Final test firing of reusable solid rocket motor FSM-17 on Feb. 25 in Promontory, Utah. Image Credit: NASA

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Yesterday, NASA’s Space Shuttle Program conducted the final test firing of a reusable solid rocket motor, in Utah. Look to see the words “final” and “last” frequently over the next few months in regards to the space shuttle. “There is a whole series of lasts coming up,” said space shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach at Endeavour’s landing earlier this week, who talked about the “majesty of this ship” and “people who have fallen in love with this machine.” It’s going to be hard to let them go,” he said, “but we’ve been given a new direction and we’ll process that last shuttle and fly that last mission and move on.”

Here’s a few notes and recent news items on the end of the shuttle program:

Smoke curls into the Utah skies as FSM-17 completes its successful test firing. Image Credit: NASA

Some spectacular pictures from the final SRB test. FSM-17, (that’s flight support motor, not Flying Spaghetti Monster) burned for approximately 123 seconds — the same time each reusable solid rocket motor burns during an actual space shuttle launch.

The final test was conducted to ensure the safe flight of the four remaining space shuttle missions. A total of 43 design objectives were measured through 258 instrument channels during the two-minute static firing.
The first test was in July 1977. The motors, built by ATK motors have successfully launched the space shuttle into orbit 129 times – out of 130 attempts.

You can watch the entire test firing video below.

And speaking of the end of the shuttle program, NASA held an in-house competition to design a shuttle commemorative patch, and last week, the winners were announced. They are beautiful designs, so I’ll post the 3 winners.

Blake Dumesnil's winning design will become NASA's official space shuttle commemorative emblem. (NASA)

Blake Dumesnil, a Hamilton Sundstrand camera engineer from Johnson Space Center, designed the patch, above, which was chosen by judges out of the 85 designs submitted by the agency’s past and present workforce.

It shows a launching space shuttle bordered by a US flag and stars to commemorate both NASA’s orbiter fleet and the astronauts whose lives were lost while flying aboard them.

Second place went to Jennifer Franzo from the Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans. Her “Mission Complete” logo shows a shuttle in orbit “tipping its wing to the world, as a way to say ‘thank you’ and ‘farewell’ just as a cowboy would wave goodbye into the sunset.”

Tim Gagnon's third place design will fly with the other 84 contest entries on a CD aboard shuttle Atlantis. (NASA)

Third place went to Tim Gagnon, a former subcontractor employee at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, whose patch designs have been worn by the astronaut crews on shuttle and International Space Station flights. His contest entry focused on the “orbiter coming home for a safe landing at the conclusion of its final mission.”

Leonardo in the SSPF. Image: Nancy Atkinson

One other news item for one of the final shuttle flights. On STS-133, the second-to-last scheduled shuttle flight, the Leonardo Multi Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) will be brought up to the ISS to become a Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM).

Leonardo is currently undergoing processing to bring supplies to the ISS on the STS-131 mission, and I visited the Space Station Processing Facility last week to view the module up close. After returning home from this mission, Leoardo will undergo modifications to ensure safe, long-term operation as the PMM, and to increase the amount of mass it can carry to orbit.

Inside the PMM, experiments in fluid physics, materials science, biology, biotechnology and other microgravity experiments may be conducted.

MPLM’s have been flown inside the payload bays of the shuttles, successfully delivering vital hardware and supplies to the station. The new use for this proven carrier will provide more room and enhance the use of the station.

As promised, here’s the video of the SRB test:

Sources: NASA, collectSPACE, NASA

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Endeavour Comes Home to Kennedy Space Center

Endeavour lands at Kennedy Space Center. Image Credit: Alan Walters

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Space shuttle Endeavour loudly announced its arrival with twin sonic booms, then two minutes later emerged like a phantom out of the darkness to touch down beautifully on runway 15 at Kennedy Space Center. The landing at 10:20 p.m. EST Sunday ended the two-week STS-130 mission to the ISS. After early concerns about the weather, conditions were almost ideal for landing.

“STS-130 is mission complete, and we’re safe on deck” said Commander George Zamka, speaking on the runway after the crew disembarked from Endeavour. “The Cupola is beautiful in both design and function, and Endeavour was perfect throughout the flight… Now it’s time for us to hit the showers and get used to life on Earth again.”

“It was really exciting to land on the first opportunity,” said astronaut Bob Behnken, “and we’re happy to put this capstone on such a great mission.”

Part of the convoy of vehicles heading out to service Endeavour after landing. Credit: Alan Walters

The STS-130 crew delivered the “room with a view” to the ISS – the Node 3, or Tranquility module with the attached Cupola that will provide astronauts with 360 degree views of Earth, space and robotic operations outside the space station.

At the post-landing press conference, mission managers echoed the astronauts’ sentiments.

“It was a fantastic landing day, and Endeavour’s landing here tonight at KSC capped off a perfect mission on orbit,” said Mike Moses launch integration manager for the space shuttle program. “The vehicle performed absolutely flawlessly, the crew did outstanding job,… the installation of Node 3 and Cupola all went perfectly. This just illustrates the great job the all the teams did. Just a spectacular mission.”

Space shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach also looked to what is ahead for the space shuttle program.

“One of the most magical things we get to do here is to walk around the space shuttle on the runway after a mission,” he said. “The shuttle looks outstanding out there, and we’re going to start the final processing flow of Endeavour tonight. So that will be a milestone for the space shuttle program, and we will go into that with our heads held high and we’re going to process the vehicle as we always do and be ready to fly her last mission. A little bit of a sad note, but a great ending to a great mission and we’re looking forward to the next one.”

With this mission the ISS is now 98% mass complete.

Next up for the shuttle and ISS programs is Discovery’s STS-131 mission, currently slated to launch on April 5, 2010.

While this marks the end of this mission — which Ken Kremer and I have been reporting on live from KSC — I will still be hanging around the Space Coast for a few more weeks, so look for more news (and launches!) coming up. And we hope to have photographer Alan Walters on location at KSC for Universe Today covering the final flights of the space shuttle program.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

What’s the Internet Really Like in Space?

The space chicken seen in the STS-130 execute packages.

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With the internet now part of daily life on the International Space Station, inquiring minds want to know! Can astronauts visit any websites they want, and what kinds of download speeds do they have in space? And what about that chicken, seen above, that has been gracing the STS-130 execute packages? And what’s the view from the new cupola really like? Astronauts answered those questions and more, at the joint crew news conference last night, where I had the chance to talk the crew members of Endeavour and the ISS.

“Thanks for asking about the internet!” replied ISS astronaut T.J. Creamer with a laugh. “This is a project that many people have worked on to make this possible for us, and some have pulled their hair out to make it successful, so many thanks to those folks. We have access to any website we are allowed to go to as government employees – that’s my best answer! And in terms of download speeds – you know, back in the old days, it kind of compares to 9.6 and the 14.4 kilobyte modems, so it’s not really fast enough to do large file exchange or videos, but it certainly lets us to do browsing and the fun reading we want to do, or get caught up on current events on that day. It’s a nice outreach for us, and of course you’ve heard about the Twittering which is a nice feature that we can partake in also.”

Later, Soichi Noguchi said he could keep up with results of the Olympics just like those of on the ground. Noguchi has been taking advantage of Twitter by sending several Twitpics from space.

The personal web access on the ISS takes advantage of existing communication links to and from the station provides astronauts with email, texting, Twittering and other direct private communications, which NASA says will “enhance their quality of life during long-duration missions by helping to ease the isolation associated with life in a closed environment.”

As for the chicken on the STS-130 execute packages, the STS-130 crew was perplexed. “That is possibly an inside joke that we are not on the inside of,” answered Commander George Zamka. “We don’t see the front pages, so it’s probably on the front pages of the execute package that we don’t get.”

You can see the STS-130 execute packages (and chickens) at this link.

Asked about the views from the new cupola, the astronauts waxed poetic. “It’s so hard to put into words the view that we see out those beautiful seven windows,” Kay Hire said. “It’s like comparing a black-and-white analog picture to a super high-def color picture. It’s just phenomenal what we can see out there. The most stunning thing I’ve seen so far is just some beautiful thunderstorms from above. It’s really interesting to watch the way the lightning jumps from cloud to cloud far below us.”

A view from the new Cupola, with all the window shutters open. Credit: NASA

“Getting to look out the shuttle windows and the station windows has been awesome,” added pilot Terry Virts. “But when we looked out the cupola, it’s impossible to put into words, but it took my breath away. We’ve only had a few opportunities to go down there because we have been busy inside doing work, but I think the favorite view that I’ve had has been watching a sunrise.

“At night, you can see cities if you’re over land and then when you pass into the sunlight you get the blue limb (of Earth) and then it turns into pink and different colors like that and then when the sun pops up, it’s like an instantaneous floodlight in your eyes, it kind of overwhelms you. But the view is amazing. You can sit there and perceive the entire Earth limb and you can really see the Earth has that round shape. It’s just amazing.”

ISS Commander Jeff Williams agreed. “To be able to see the entire Earth in one glance and see the entire limb of the Earth all the way around and see the spherical shape of the Earth is going to be new to us. Obviously, we’ve seen a lot of those segments of that view before, but only one segment at a time through a narrower field of view,” he said. “We have taken a lot of photography up here, we will continue to do so. The cupola will offer us a very unique and new opportunity for photography in a new way, particularly with wide angle lenses, which we’re already playing with a little bit to try to be able to share that experience with folks on Earth.”

Spacewalker Bob Behnken said the view from the cupola was as good as or maybe better than the view from a being out on an EVA.

“The reason being you actually have time to look around through all the windows,” he said. “Usually during a spacewalk, there’s a fair amount of work to get done. There wasn’t a lot of time for the sightseeing you might like to do out of a window like cupola.

“The other thing the cupola affords you is the opportunity to share some of those views with other people. We’re really limited on the photography we can do during a spacewalk, but taking one of the HD cameras or some still photos inside the cupola is really going to allow us to share those beautiful sunrises and sunsets and Earth views in general with everyone on the ground.”

You can watch the entire ISS/STS-130 news conference below.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Double Spaceship Sighting Alert!

Space shuttle Endeavour will undock from the ISS on late Friday (7:54 p.m. EST) or early Saturday (00:54 GMT) depending where you live, providing an opportunity to see the two spaceships flying in tandem. This is an incredible sight, and as the shuttle program comes to a close, one that will happen only about four more times. Early morning sightings are favored for those in the northern hemisphere. The two spacecraft will be seen as separate but closely-spaced points of light. The ISS is bigger, so will appear as the brighter object trailing the smaller Endeavour as they move across the sky. Double flybys will continue until the shuttle lands, currently scheduled for late Sunday or early Monday, with the two getting farther apart each day. Of course, your viewing ability will depend on cloud cover. Above, you can watch the ceremony as the shuttle crew returned to Endeavour and closed the hatches from the ISS.

To find out if you’ll be able to see spaceships in your area, there are a few different sites to check out:
Continue reading “Double Spaceship Sighting Alert!”

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Obama Talks With ISS/Shuttle Crews

Astronauts on the International Space Station took questions Wednesday from President Barack Obama and a group of children. The astronauts eloquently explained the the science and benefits of the ISS, and discussed if artificial gravity could be developed, their thoughts and feelings about being in space, and what they could see from space. “This is really exciting,” said Obama. “We’re investing back here on the ground in a whole array of solar and other renewable energy projects. So to find out you’re doing this up there at the space station is very exciting.”

Obama added, “We wanted to let you know how proud we are of you and how committed we are to continuing human space exploration in the future.”

Let’s hope so.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Astronauts Open New Window on the Universe

"Let there be light! Cupola windows open toward Sahara desert. Priceless!\" Tweeted ISS astronaut Soichi Noguchi.

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“Let there be light! Cupola windows open toward Sahara desert. Priceless!” Tweeted ISS astronaut Soichi Noguchi from the ISS.

It’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the opening on the windows of the new Cupola on the International Space Station. And it was incredible.

“As expected, the view through window seven is absolutely spectacular,” ISS commander Jeff Williams said. “When we have the others around it open, it will give us a view of the entire globe. Absolutely incredible.”

Shutters are opened on the new Cupola on the ISS. Credit: NASA TV

The new $27 million bay window was uncovered during the third EVA of the STS-130 mission by spacewalkers Nick Patrick and Bob Behnken, who removed the protective launch covers and bolts. Then, from the inside, each of the seven shutters was cranked opened and closed one at a time, to test the view — and the shutters. In case there were any problems, the astronauts out on EVA could help close the shutters.

Later, all the shutters were opened at once for the full view. “I don’t think space station’s ever going to be the same after this,” Mission Control radioed to the ISS.

The new observation deck will allow astronauts unprecedented 360-degree views of Earth and space, while providing a new location for robotic operations where astronauts inside the ISS can actually watch directly what they doing with the CanadArm2 on the ISS, instead of completely relying on computer inputs and camera views. The Cupola is attached to the nadir, or Earth–facing port of the new Tranquility node, a $380 million addition to the station that was delivered to the ISS on the current space shuttle mission.

Built by the Italian space agency, the Cupola is 1.5 meters (5 feet) tall and about 3 meters (10 feet) in diameter. Six rectangular windows encircle the dome, with a large circular window in the middle.

Mission managers said at a press conference last week that the windows will remain shuttered most of the time to protect the 4-pane fused silica glass from micrometeroid strikes. The large central window shutter may be allowed to opened more frequently since it is facing towards Earth and away from potential incoming space debris.

Nancy peeks through a model of the Cupola that was at Kennedy Space Center. Image by Robin Hobson.

A model of the Cupola was set up at the press room at Kennedy Space Center. I asked about the windows and the potential of problems if they are hit by micrometeroids, and was told that if the windows are dinged or significantly damaged, they can be repaired or replaced on orbit. There are spare window assemblies built, but they aren’t currently on the ISS nor are there plans to bring them up, for now. For minor damage, the shutters would be closed until the repairs could be done. For major damage, the Cupola has a hatch, so there is the potential to close off Cupola, but mission managers said that option has a very low likelihood of occurring.

Posted on by Nancy Atkinson

Scenes from Space: Best Images from STS-130 (so far…)

Astronaut Robert Behnken during the first EVA of the mission. Credit: NASA

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The STS-130 mission has provided some of the most amazing photos of any space shuttle mission to date — from a stunning shot of space shuttle Endeavour silhouetted against Earth’s colorful atmosphere, to incredible views of the International Space station, to the always amazing photos of astronauts at work in space. But that’s only the beginning! Take a look at a sampling of some of the best images from the mission so far. Above, astronaut Bob Behnken works outside the ISS during the first EVA of the mission.

Close-up view of Endeavour's nose section as seen from the ISS. Credit: NASA

During my time in at Kennedy Space Center the past couple of weeks, I had the chance to see space shuttle Endeavour up close. But not quite this close! Here’s the view the ISS astronauts had as the space shuttle pulled up for docking to the space station.

great view of the Tranquility module before being attached to the ISS. Credit: NASA

This is an amazing view of our home in space, the ISS, and a great way to see the international partnership of nations at work: CanadArm 2 from Canada hangs onto the Tranquility Node built by Europe; also a view of Japan’s JEM module, and the Russian Soyuz and a US space shuttle that are docked to the ISS.

Robert Behnken hangs on. Credit: NASA

I get vertigo just looking at this one! Hang on Bob Behnken!! But what a view. During the first EVA of the mission, Behnken and fellow spacewalker Nicholas Patrick relocated a temporary platform from the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre, to the station’s truss structure and installed two handles on the robot. Once Tranquility was structurally mated to Unity, the spacewalkers connected heater and data cables that integrated the new module with the rest of the station’s systems. They also pre-positioned insulation blankets and ammonia hoses that the same two spacewalkers connected up Tranquility to the station’s cooling radiators during the mission’s second spacewalk.

Superman, a.k.a Terry Virts zooms through the Zarya module. Credit: NASA

This is what we all want to do in space. Pilot Terry Virts does Superman in fine style in the Zarya Functional Cargo Block (FGB).

Fresh fruit and veggies are a rare treat in space. Credit: NASA

Fresh food in space is one thing we haven’t figured out how to do yet, so any arriving spacecraft must be extremely welcome for the crunchy and succulent apples, oranges, carrots, etc. they bring. It’s interesting to see NASA uses the same green bags that I use at home to keep fruit and vegetables fresh longer. That’s ISS Commander Jeff Williams with the goodies.

Endeavour silhouetted against Earth's atmospere. Credit: NASA

I know we published this image earlier, but it is so amazing, I had to include it in this gallery. Just absolutely stunning.

Another great shot of astronaut Bob Behnken during EVA-1. Credit: NASA

A great shot of astronaut Bob Behnken during EVA-2, a five-hour, 54-minute spacewalk. Behnken and Nicholas Patrick connected two ammonia coolant loops, installed thermal covers around the ammonia hoses, outfitted the Earth-facing port on the Tranquility node for the relocation of its Cupola, and installed handrails and a vent valve on the new module.

Moving the cupola. Credit: NASA

Another great view of the action taking place at the ISS this week. In the grasp of the Canadarm2, the cupola was relocated from the forward port to the Earth-facing port of the International Space Station’s newly installed Tranquility node. The cupola is a robotic control station with six windows around its sides and another in the center that will provide a panoramic view of Earth, celestial objects and visiting spacecrafts. With the installation of Tranquility and cupola, the space station is about 90 percent complete.

Night launch of Endeavour. Credit: NASA

Having witnessed the launch personally, I have to include a couple of incredible pictures of the night launch of Endeavour. Speaking of launches, the latest word is that the next mission may be an early morning launch, as STS-131 has slipped to launching no earlier than April 5, 2010 at 6:27 am EDT. We’ll keep you posted.

Launch, another view. Credit: NASA

For more images, see the STS-130 gallery on NASA’s website.