Longer space travel

2001/03/12 Carton Virto, Eider - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Astronautika

Last Thursday the ferry Discovery headed to the International Space Station (ISS) and was docked at 09:51 on Saturday morning. Due to communication problems between the Earth Control Center and the ferry, the link was delayed, but astronauts Juri Usatxev, James Voss and Susan Helms are already on the ISS. Next to them is astronaut Andrew Thomas, who will not stay on the ISS.

9 hours work

Before entering what will be their home until July, American astronauts James Voss and Susan Helms have had to fix the "facade." At dawn on Sunday a space was enabled for the coupling of the logistic module Leonardo. Voss and Helms made wire connections and Andrew Thomas, with the help of a mechanical arm, placed the Leonardo module in place from Discovery.

The Leonardo module, built by the Italian space agency, is the first European element to reach the International Space Station (ISS). Leonardo has been built to transport material that goes to the ISS and comes from the ISS, and three more like her will be prepared in the future. On his first trip he has transported 4.5 tons of materials such as scientific research teams and supports for the installation of tools from the Destiny module of the Americans. In the coming days the ISS astronauts will empty the module and on March 17 will return to Earth along with Discovery. On the way back, Leonardo will come full of garbage from the station and appliances that are not needed anymore. And together with Leonardo, the three astronauts who have stayed four months at the station will return to Earth.

In addition to attaching the Leonardo module, astronauts Voss and Helms installed a platform outside the Destiny laboratory, where an antenna and a mechanical arm built by the Canadians will be installed later in April.

Accidents

Despite their actions, two astronauts suffered several small accidents. As Susan Helms left Disvovery, a bag escaped, though she was captured before leaving too far. But when a stand to place at the base of the platform left hands they were not able to recover it and, without wanting it, created a small satellite that moves with the station. Fortunately, there was an alternative support that allowed the platform to be installed.

The Discovery ferry will be linked to the ISS until 17 March. During this time six astronauts will experience and then the American Bill Shepherd and the Russians Juri Gidzenko and Sergei Krikaliev will return to Earth. These three have formed the first ISS crew and are there since last November.