Tranquility Node Up and Running on Station

Tranquility Node Up and Running on Station

Computers and other systems have been activated on the space station's new Tranquility node. Mission managers have extended Endeavour's stay by a day.

The crew relocated the cupola at 1:25 a.m. EST from the Tranquility node’s forward side to Tranquility’s nadir (Earth-facing) port. The second stage capture of the cupola was at 1:31 a.m. EST, signifying the completion of the module’s relocation. It is securely latched and all Common Berthing Mechanism bolts have been driven in.

Astronauts Move Cupola, Activate Tranquility

Astronauts on space shuttle Endeavour relocated one of the new modules they just delivered to the International Space Station, and pressed ahead with activation and checkout of the new Tranquility node.

Mission Specialists Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken spent the first three hours of their day working on tools and preparations of the station’s airlock for the last planned spacewalk on Tuesday.

Pilot Terry Virts and Mission Specialist Kathryn Hire kicked off the day monitoring the depressurization of the cupola module. While they operated Canadarm2, station Commander Jeff Williams operated the common berthing mechanisms for the relocation of cupola from Tranquility’s outboard hatch to the Earth-facing side of the module.

Cupola will then be repressurized and monitored for an airtight seal by flight controllers in Houston. At the same time shuttle Commander George Zamka, Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson, and station Flight Engineers Max Suraev and T.J. Creamer will resume outfitting and activation of Tranquility.

At 10:24 p.m. EST, Virts and Hire took time to answer questions about their mission prepared by students at NASA Explorer Schools. At 6:04 a.m. Monday Virts and Behnken will talk about the flight in interviews with WOR Radio New York’s John Gambling and television stations KTVI-TV in St. Louis and WREG-TV in Memphis.Patio misting systems | Misting cooling system | Mist cooling | Outdoor cooling systems | Patio cooling systems | Misting fan

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