Space station opens solar wings

[Mike]

Huge new solar wings have been unfurled on the International Space Station.
The new arrays, which are 73m (240ft) long and have a width of 11.5m (38ft), will double the amount of power available to the orbiting outpost.

They are attached to the platform's P3/P4 truss, a new "backbone" segment fitted to the ISS this week by astronauts from the Atlantis shuttle.

The astronauts will conduct a third and final spacewalk on Friday to prepare the structure for full operation.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5346522.stm

[Rick]

It should be quite a bit brighter now. Must check to see when it's next going to be visible here...