 “Leonardo” became a part of the ISS.
On March 01, 2011 an Italian-made module was successfully installed and became a part of the ISS.
The vessel is the modified "Leonardo” reusable cargo van that had visited the station seven times, but now it's a permanent fixture. The Leonardo Permanent Multipurpose Module (or PMM) was delivered by Discovery (STS-133). It was attached to the central Unity module. The Permanent Multipurpose Module was pulled from shuttle Discovery's cargo bay by American astronauts M.Barratt and N.Stott, operating the space station's robot arm, then maneuvered the module into position for attachment to Unity's Earth-facing port. After a careful alignment, four latches pulled the module snugly into place and 16 motorized bolts then were driven to firmly lock it to the station.
The PMM originally was built to carry supplies and e
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STS-133/ISS – the 1st EVA.
On February 28, 2011 American astronauts Stephen Bowen and Benjamin Drew performed EVA (extra vehicle activity). They left the station via the American "Quest” module at 15:47 UTC.
photo NASA
The space walkers accomplished last summer's leftover work of packing away a failed cooling pump and routing a power extension cable. Everything planned was accomplished during the 6-hour and 34-minute EVA.
Astronaut Drew became the 200th Earth’s inhabitant performed EVA. |
Discovery docked to the ISS.
On February 26, 2011 at 19:14 UTC American Space Shuttle "Discovery” (STS-133) docked to the ISS. Discovery’s crew of Steven Lindsey, Eric Boe, Benjamin Drew, Michael Barratt, Stephen Bowen and Nicole Stott joined the Expedition 26 crew of Scott Kelly, Oleg Skripochka, Alexander Kaleri, Dmitry Kondratyev, Paolo Nespoli, and Cady Coleman.
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STS-133 launch.
On February 24, 2011 at 21:53 UTC the American Space Shuttle"Discovery” (STS-133) was launched from Kennedy Space Center (LC39A), Florida, USA.
photo NASA
The crew consists of 6 American astronauts: Steven Lindsey, Eric Boe, Benjamin Drew, Michael Barratt, Stephen Bowen, Nicole Stott.
The Shuttle is to deliver to the ISS the Permanent Multipurpose Module, with extra storage space and an area for experiments, as well as some spare parts and the Express Logistic Carrier, an external platform for large equi
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ATV-2 docked with the ISS.
On February 24, 2011 at 15:59 UTC the European ATV-2 "Johannes Kepler” unmanned supply spacecraft docked to the ISS.
The approach and docking were performed in automatic regime closely monitored by ESA and French space agency (CNES) teams at the ATV Control Centre in Toulouse, France, as well as the Russian Mission Control Centre and the cosmonauts aboard the Station.
The spacecraft docked with the Russian "Zvezda” module. ATV-2 will remain docked with the Station until June 2011. "Johannes Kepler” delivered to the ISS 1760 kg of cargo, including food, clothes and equipment; 860 kg of propellant and 100 kg of oxygen. |
Progress M-07M undocking and deorbiting.
On February 20, 2011 at 13:12 UTC the "Progress M-07M” unmanned supply spacecraft was undocked from the ISS. At the same day the spacecraft was deorbited and burnt down in atmosphere.
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“MIR” station – The 25th Anniversary.
25 years ago on February 20, 1986 the first module of the"Mir” space station was launched from Soviet Baykonur Cosmodrome.
In according to UTC, the launch was performed on February 19.
The "MIR” station was in flight during 15 years.
104 cosmonauts (astronauts) from 12 states worked aboard the station.
31 "Soyuz” type piloted spacecraft, 64 "Progress” type unmanned supply spacecraft and 9 American Space Shuttles docked with the MIR space station. |
ATV-2, Johannes Kepler, launch.
On February 16, 2011 at 21:50 UTC the Ariane 5 rocket-carrier was launched from the Kourou space center in French Guiana.
photo by ESA
The rocket orbited ESA’s second Automated Transfer Vehicle, Johannes Kepler. The unmanned supply spacecraft is expected to dock directly and autonomously with the Russian Zvezda module of the ISS to deliver cargo, propellant and oxygen to the orbital station.
During the coming week, ATV-2 will adjust its orbit to rendezvous with the ISS for docking on February 24.
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Russians Completed EVA - Again Ahead the Schedule!
On February 16, 2011 Russian cosmonauts Dmitry Kondratiev and Oleg Skripochka (ISS Expedition 26 flight engineers) performed a spacewalk.
D.Kondratjev installs the Molniya-Gamma experiment.Photo by NASA.
The EVA was performed via the Earth-facing "Pirs” Docking Compartment. This was the second spacewalk for Kondratiev, EV1, who was wearing an Orlan-MK spacesuit with red stripes and the third for Skripochka, EV2, who was wearing the blue-striped Orlan-MK suit.
Kondatiev and Skripocka beat their own record of January 21's
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The ISS News.
On February 04, 2011 at 10:58 UTC the "Zarya” module, the first module of the International Space Station, completed its 70 000th orbit around the Earth.
The "Zarya” module (FGB) was launched on November 20, 1998 by a Russian "Proton” rocket-carrier. |
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