International Space Station will have visitors soon in the form of a space plumber team. The team will also consist of specialists in lube-job. They will be taking off on Friday on their mission to complete the $100 billion laboratory which is in orbit.
Crew size of the station will be doubled the coming year according to NASA’s plan and the shuttle Endeavor with the entire equipment heading skyward is a part of this plan.
This mission includes among other things new quarters for sleeping, a second toilet and even a refrigerator for stocking beverages for the astronauts. An interesting inclusion will be a system of water purification that will be used by the astronauts. This system will effectively purify and recycle water in the station.
The Endeavor which will take off at 7.55 p.m on Friday will be in space for 15 days. Its duties include lubricating the 10 feet diameter rotary joints. These joints assist in pointing the solar arrays of the station towards the Sun.
Space walkers who will be carrying out the task of cleaning the rotary joints are Lt. Col. Robert S. Kimbrough from the Army, Capt. Steven G. Bowen of the Navy and Heidemarie M. Stefanyshyn-Piper.
Piloted by Col. Eric A. Boe from the Air Force, Endeavor will also be transporting Sandra H. Magnus to the station for a stay which will last for three and a half months. Gregory E. Chamitoff who is an astronaut living in the station from June will return with the crew.
