Action-packed trip ends smoothly as shuttle crew lands
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. — Space shuttle Endeavour and its seven astronauts safely returned to Earth on Sunday, taking a detour to mild California subsequent storms lucky venture the main coming to land lay waste in Florida.
Endeavour wrapped up a 16-day false step that left the between nations space station freshly remodeled and capable of covering bigger crews. The shuttle dropped off all kinds of home-improvement equipment, including a new bathroom, kitchenette, exercise machine, two sleeping quarters and a recycling system designed to convert astronauts’ urine and sweat into drinking water.
But the mission wasn’t without its problems. Astronaut Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper let go of a $100,000 tool bag during the chief spacewalk, muttering “Oh, great” as it floated absent.
And Endeavour’s astronauts in addition had to put in extra effort to gain the piss processor working.
About seven liters of recycled urine and condensation were coming back aboard Endeavour for extensive testing. No one at the space station will drink the recycled water until the equipment runs for 90 days and get aground tests ensure it’s safe. More samples will be returned on the next shuttle flight.
The shuttle crew besides conducted four spacewalks to clear metal shavings from a solar wing rotary joint at the space location. The joint had been jammed in opposition to more than a year and hampered intensity production at the orbiting outpost.
Initial tests indicated the repairs forward the joint were successful.
The space-station additions — and a few added scheduled to vogue up on the next shuttle flight in February — should enable NASA to double the size of the space-station crew by June.
Early Sunday aurora, a Russian supply ship arrived at the space station with Christmas presents, food, clothes and other items.
