Columbus docks with space station

[Rick]

Europe's space laboratory, Columbus, has been unloaded from the space shuttle Atlantis and docked with the International Space Station (ISS).

The attachment of Columbus to the ISS was carried out by astronauts working outside and inside.

A spacewalk to help install the orbiting laboratory lasted nearly eight hours - longer than expected.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7238986.stm

See also:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7233811.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7230333.stm

[Rick]

US and European astronauts have completed their second spacewalk of the current space shuttle mission.

Hans Schlegel took part in this outing after being replaced on the first spacewalk when he fell ill.

He joined American Rex Walheim on the activity, during which they installed a new nitrogen tank on the International Space Station (ISS).

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7243021.stm

Image: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/sci_nat_enl_1203028393/html/1.stm

[Rick]

BBC News science correspondent David Shukman visits a replica of the Columbus module at the EADS Astrium plant at Bremen, Germany.

"This is only a theory - it certainly isn't rocket science - but my first impression on stepping into the brightly-lit module is that it's so surprisingly large that it may even offer enough room to orbit a cat.

Read the rest: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7243621.stm

[Ian]

excellent first line. Pity he goes on to describe it as being Europe's first and largest science outpost. It can't be both...

[Rick]

He's a reporter. What'd you expect? Accuracy? 

(Sorry, but when I've seen press reports about things of which I've had direct experience I've almost always found that the press goes for sensationalism over accuracy and truthfulness. It's not surprising that they cook up contradictory nonsense sometimes. The trick is to pick the truth out of the mess...)

[MarkS]

Pedantry Mode on:

Of course it can be both!  If it is Europe's first science outpost then it's Europe's only science outpost so it's plainly Europe's largest science outpost as well (and also the smallest outpost).

Pedantry Mode off:

[Ian]

Argumentative pedant mode on:

No it can't be, to be the largest requires a reference, an implied other European space lab, which as it's the only one cannot exist. It is therefore not the smallest, cheapest, reddest or indeed most dimensionally unstable space science lab Europe has.

Arguementative pedant mode set to standby: 

However, it may have the most diffraction spikes.

[Rick]

Hey, count yourself lucky he didn't write something like:

"Europe's biggest, shiniest, spikiest, most wonderful, BESTEST OUTPOST IN SPACE EVAR!"

[Ian]

innit

[mickw]

You could be in trouble there - I think the Essex Post holds that copyright 

[Rick]

The Atlantis shuttle has undocked from the International Space Station in preparation for its return to Earth.

The orbiter detached from the platform at 0924 GMT, ending eight days of operations at the ISS.

The crew have performed a final check on the ship's heat-shield system ahead of Wednesday's scheduled landing.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7250766.stm

[Rick]

The Atlantis orbiter has touched down on Earth after a 13-day mission to cement Europe's position on the International Space Station (ISS).

The spacecraft and its crew installed the 12.8-tonne Columbus science lab, an achievement that makes Europe a full member of the $100bn platform project.

Atlantis landed at Florida's Kennedy Space Center at 1407 GMT.

Now that the shuttle is down, the US military will be allowed to shoot an ailing spy satellite out of the sky.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7254675.stm