TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Astronauts Give Space Station Nitrogen Boost

ADVERTISEMENT

By MARCIA DUNN, The Associated Press

Published: February 14, 2008

CAPE CANAVERAL - Two spacewalking astronauts supplied the international space station with a fresh tank of nitrogen gas Wednesday, one of them a German who was too sick to venture outside a few days earlier.

It was a chance for Hans Schlegel to prove himself. Never before in 27 years of space shuttle history was an astronaut replaced on a spacewalk then given a second chance.

Looking and sounding fit, Schlegel and Rex Walheim completed their primary job halfway through the nearly seven-hour spacewalk: removing a depleted nitrogen tank from the space station and installing a full one weighing 550 pounds. The high-pressure nitrogen gas is needed to flush ammonia through the station's cooling lines.

As soon as the new tank of nitrogen was powered up, Mission Control radioed up the news along with congratulations for the spacewalkers' "great work."

"Hot dog!" Walheim said.

The spacewalk began, coincidentally, as the linked shuttle Atlantis and the station soared more than 200 miles above Cologne, Germany.

"Hello to all the people of Germany," Walheim said. "What a pleasure it is to be up here spacewalking with one of your native sons, Hans Schlegel."

Noted Schlegel: "It's great to be a part of an international team ... doing research in space."

Atlantis will remain at the space station until Monday. Mission managers on Wednesday decided to keep the shuttle there an extra day so its seven astronauts can help hook up Europe's space station lab, Columbus.

That makes for a 13-day flight, with touchdown now set for Wednesday. Atlantis' thermal shielding has been completely cleared for re-entry.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT