Image above: The STS-122 and Expedition 16 crews gather together for a joint crew news conference on Saturday. Photo credit: NASA TV

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Columbus outfitting continues

The space shuttle Atlantis and International Space Station crews spent time Saturday transferring supplies and equipment into the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Columbus laboratory.

Saturday morning, the station got a reboost, a routine procedure to adjust its orbit. The purpose of the reboost was to place the orbital outpost in better position to receive future visitors, including the Expedition 17 crew, who are slated to arrive in April.

The STS-122 and Expedition 16 crews also had some free time after several busy days.

Image above: View of the International Space Station from the space shuttle Atlantis. Photo credit: NASA

In addition to delivering the Columbus laboratory to the orbital outpost, Atlantis’ astronauts performed three spacewalks to prepare the module for its scientific work and replaced an expended nitrogen tank on the station.

Atlantis also transported ESA astronaut Leopold Eyharts to the station to take the place of Daniel Tani as Expedition 16 flight engineer. Tani is returning to Earth aboard the shuttle.
Atlantis and the STS-122 crew are scheduled to leave the space station on Monday, with undocking slated for 4:26 a.m. that day.

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