Columbus Laboratory Installed on Space Station
Explanation:
The International Space Station (ISS) has been equipped with a powerful new scientific
laboratory.
The
Space Shuttle Atlantis delivered the
Columbus Laboratory
to the
ISS
and installed the seven meter long module over the past week.
Columbus
has ten racks for experiments that can be controlled from the station or the
Columbus Control Center
in
Germany.
The first set of experiments includes the
Fluid Science Laboratory
that will explore fluid properties in the
microgravity
of
low Earth orbit, and
Biolab which supports experiments on
microorganisms.
Future Columbus experiments include an
atomic clock that will test
minuscule timing effects including those expected by
Einstein's
General Theory of Relativity.
Pictured above, mission specialist
Hans Schlegel
works on the outside of Columbus.
Scientists from all over the
world
may propose and carry out experiments to be done on the laboratory during its ten
year mission.
Watch the
Total
Lunar Eclipse the night of Feb. 20/21.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
