NASA has decided to extend the flight of the Discovery spacecraft by one day, adding to the originally planned 12 days and nights, to give astronauts the opportunity to venture outside into space.
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| Discovery spacecraft launched on July 4, 2006 (Photo: AP) |
On July 7, the astronauts aboard Discovery began their resupply operations just one day after successfully docking the shuttle with the International Space Station (ISS).
Astronauts Lia Nowak and Stephanie Wilson had a busy day working in the ISS, maneuvering the robotic arm to push a container manufactured in Italy from Discovery’s cargo bay to the ISS.
This multifunctional cylindrical module has been docked with the ISS, and the astronauts will transfer clothes and food from this module to the ISS in the coming days.
In addition to essential supplies, a cooling device for preserving scientific research samples, an incubator for studying plant growth in space, and a system for producing enough oxygen to meet the needs of six astronauts on the ISS will also be transferred from this module to the ISS.
Furthermore, the astronauts are carrying two sets of spacesuits to conduct two spacewalks. According to the plan, the first spacewalk for this crew is scheduled for July 8.
Meanwhile, experts from NASA are reviewing hundreds of photographs taken of the thermal insulation on the exterior of Discovery, sent from the ISS, in order to identify any potential risks that could threaten the safety of the spacecraft upon its return to Earth.
NASA also stated that if any issues arise with Discovery, this generation of spacecraft, which has served space exploration for 25 years, will have to be retired immediately, ahead of the previously planned timeline for 2010.
