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U.S. space shuttle Endeavour lifts off on first mission in 5 years (3) |
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08:17, August 09, 2007 |
At least three spacewalks are planned for Endeavour''s crew. They will install the new truss, replace a faulty gyroscope needed to keep the outpost properly positioned in orbit and tackle a variety of tasks to prepare the station for the arrival of laboratories built by Europe and Japan.
The new piece will be the 10th truss segment attached to the station as part of 11 total trusses. The truss structure will ultimately extend the length of a football field.
The mission, which is originally planned for 11 days, may be extended to 14 days and be added an extra spacewalk if a new power system aboard shuttle Endeavour works well. The system can convert and transfer power from space station to the docked shuttle Endeavour, which can extend its stay at the orbital outpost.
Future missions using the system could gain as many as six extra days once all the station''s solar arrays are installed and providing power to the system, according to NASA.
Endeavour''s mission STS-118 is the second of four shuttle flights that NASA plans this year as it presses to finish construction of the 100-billion-dollor space station before the three remaining shuttles are retired in 2010.
Source: Xinhua
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