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2001/04/17 Carton Virto, Eider - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Astronautika

On Thursday, NASA's Endeavour ferry will depart for the International Space Station with seven astronauts and plenty of machines.

The space shuttle will depart on Thursday towards the ISS leaving behind the impact of NASA's budgetary constraints. For the first time a European astronaut will participate in the mission, specifically the Italian Umberto Guidoni and the ESA, of course, has no intention of losing the opportunity. It will broadcast all 10 day mission details on TV and Internet at http://television.esa.int and http://www.esa.int/guidoni.

Endeavour's main crew mission will be the installation, activation and demonstration of the Canadian robotic arm Canadarn2. In fact, the arm is fundamental for the next steps to be taken in the assembly phase of the ISS, including the installation of an air lock to be added in June. The Canadarm2 arm is longer, sturdy, flexible and skilled than ferries. It can move three times more mass and is able to cover with very fine movements all the outside of the station. In addition, it can supply electrical current and make computer connections with objects in manipulation, being the four cameras that will be tied the first to be installed outside the station. At the end of the arm, also built by the Canadians, will join a small robot capable of placing and removing small devices for the future.

In addition to the installation of the arm, the Raffaello logistics module built by the Italians will be attached to the ISS. He is the brother of the Leonardo module transported on the previous trip and transports equipment, consumer goods and experiments for the station. In one of the studies, for example, plants grow to study how spatial radiation affects them. Finally, the UHF communication antenna will also join the ISS.

More information: http://www.shuttlepresskit.com/STS-100/ovr196.htm