Tahoe's Space Shuttle Updates (UPDATE- THE SHUTTLE LANDED WED AM)

Stan Love, who's name doesn't hold a candle to Hans Schlegel, will join Rex Walheim on the delayed space walk.

Today the Detroit Lion performed magnificently. He used the ISS' robotic arm to unbirth the boom extension from the shuttle, and station it so the Shuttle's robotic arm can attach to it. The Shuttles arm will be lifting the new Columbus module out it's payload bay and attach it to the ISS.

This has been delayed a day due to Hansie falling ill.

BTW...This is the first time a Shuttle has docked on the Harmony node. It was brought up and attached on STS-120 or 121. I think the ISS can have 2 shuttles docking at the same time now.

It also still has the unmanned Progress expendable shuttle attached. It will be sent back to earth and burn upon reentry after the Shuttle crew leaves. They load it with all the trash before they burn it up.

GD...are you going to take my name off the title if I told you that I spelled Hans last name wrong? :(

DON'T FIRE ME!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn

Thoughts and prayers to the entire Schlagel family, btw.

Absolutely Glenn.

Hans was born in UberLingen, Germany in 1951. This is his 2nd Shuttle flight. STS-55 in 1993.

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/4756/hsmr2.jpg

Dan Tani was officially switched to the STS 122 crew today from the Expedition 16 crew. Leopold Eyharts (france) transfers from STS122 to the Expedition 16 crew.

Dan Tani was scheduled to return in mid-December, but due to shit breaking, he had to stay up there till now...or till at least a week from now. NASA added a day to the Shuttle mission cuz Hans got sick, so Dans return date is still uncertain.

BTW...there is always a Russian Soyuz capsule docked to the ISS. Just in case shit gets reall hairy up there ,they can get on it and come home. I think it only holds 3 though.

There is a tear in a thermal blanket in the rear of the shuttle. It doesn't appear serious right now. They'll take some more pics Sunday.

i <3 this thread

Hans sighting. This morning Hans was sighted in the ISS Airlock assisting Stanley Love, who will replace Hans on EVA1.

I rewatched the welcoming of the shuttle astros and kept my eye on Hans (how couldn't you) and I watched the subsequent safety meeting and Hans looked a lil unstable, imo.

Then we didn't see him for a long while. We saw the Detroit Lion and the rest of the crew, but no Hans.

So I was relieved to see him this am helping his replacement, he looked much better to me. DISCLOSURE...I'm not a doctor or anything like that...some of you might have gathered that.

I must admit, the thought crossed my mind (when Hans was missing) that we might have a 'weekend at Bernie' situation going on. I don't trust NASA. So all seems back on track. Hans IS still scheduled to make EVA4 I think it is.

BTW...the it takes the Soyuz almost 3 days to catch up to and dock with the ISS, but its return to Earth takes about 3 hours. The vehicle lands on the flat steppes of Kazakhstan in central Asia.

Now that sounds like a wild ride home.

So on the first EVA, that Hans douched on, the Astro's will connect a graple(sp?) adapter to the Columbus module so the Shuttle arm can connect to it. The actual connection of the Columbus module to the Harmony node takes place on EVA2.

They will demate the power from the Shuttle to the Columbus module. I think the robotic arm has a power adapter to bring power to the Columbus module while the module is awaits its attachment to the ISS. I'm pretty sure the Columbus module needs power continuously, and prolly environmental control too.

Then the Astros will prolly take some more pics of what NASA calls an 'area of interest' which is a tear in a thermal blanket.

They will also replace a nitrogen tank or 2. The ISS is running low. The new tank will have an adapter so that it can just be refilled instead of being replaced.

The EVA begins at 8:35 Central time.