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    ESA > Our Activities > Human Spaceflight > Astrolab

    Astrolab mission facts

    Space Shuttle Discovery at Launch Pad 39B
    Astrolab launched with Space Shuttle Discovery

    ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter is the first European astronaut to undertake a long-duration mission to the International Space Station. He was launched into space on Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-121 on 4 July 2006.

    Shortly after arrival Thomas became a member of the Expedition 13 crew. In September the crew rotation took place and Thomas joined Expedition 14.

    The Astrolab mission lasted five and a half months, concluding when Thomas returned to Earth with Shuttle mission STS-116, landing at NASA's Kennedy Space Center, in Florida, on 22 December 2006.

    Astrolab back-up astronaut:
    ESA astronaut Léopold Eyharts

    STS-121 Crew

    • Commander Steve Lindsey (NASA)
    • Pilot Mark Kelly (NASA)
    • Mission Specialist Mike Fossum (NASA)
    • Mission Specialist Lisa Nowak (NASA)
    • Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson (NASA)
    • Mission Specialist Piers Sellers (NASA)
    • Mission Specialist Thomas Reiter (ESA)

     

    Launch STS-121

    Launch date:
    4 July 2006, 20:38 CEST (18:38 UT)
    Two earlier launch attempts on 1 and 2 July were scrubbed due to weather conditions.
    Launch site:
    Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral, Florida
    Launch vehicle:
    Space Shuttle Discovery

    Arrival at the International Space Station

    Docking:
    6 July 2006, 16:52 CEST (14:52 UT)
    Hatch opening:
    6 July 2006, 18:52 CEST (16:52 UT)

    Return STS-121*
    (Thomas remained on the International Space Station)

    *A third spacewalk was scheduled for Flight Day 9 (Wednesday 12 July) and the STS-121 mission was extended by one day.

    Hatch closure:
    15 July 2006, 08:15 CEST (06:15 UT)
    Undocking:
    15 July 2006, 10:08 CEST (08:08 UT)
    Landing:
    17 July 2006, 15:14 CEST (13:14 UT) at KSC, Florida

    On the Station

    Expedition 13 crew
    • Commander Pavel Vinogradov (Russia)
    • Flight Engineer 1 Jeff Williams (NASA)
    • From the moment Thomas' Soyuz seatliner was transferred to the Soyuz TMA-8 vehicle shortly after arrival on 6 July 2006, Thomas joined Expedition 13 crew as Flight Engineer 2.

    On 20 September 2006 the next Expedition arrived at the Station on the Soyuz TMA-9 vehicle - shortly after their arrival Thomas became a member of Expedition 14.

    After the crew exchange, Vinogradov and Williams returned to Earth with the Soyuz TMA-8 spacecraft together with space tourist Anousheh Ansari. Thomas remained on the Station as Flight Engineer 2 for Expedition 14.

    Expedition 14 crew
    • Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria (NASA)
    • Flight Engineer 1 Mikhail Tyurin (Russia)
    • Flight Engineer 2 Thomas Reiter (ESA) - until arrival of Space Shuttle flight STS-116
    • Flight Engineer 2 Sunita Williams (NASA) - after arrival on Space Shuttle flight STS-116

    Sunita Williams replaced Thomas Reiter as Expedition 14 Flight Engineer 2 on 11 December 2006 shortly after her arrival with Discovery. At that point Reiter became a member of the STS-116 descent crew.

    Back-up crew Expedition 14
    • Commander Peggy Whitson (NASA)
    • Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko (Russia)
    • Flight Engineer Clay Anderson (NASA)

    Discovery lands at KSC
    Space Shuttle Discovery lands at KSC

    Landing

    Thomas returned to Earth on Space Shuttle Discovery with the rest of the STS-116 crew.

    Hatch closure:
    19 December 2006, 20:42 CET (19:42 UT)
    Undocking:
    19 December 2006, 23:10 CET (22:10 UT)
    Landing:
    22 December 2006, 23:32 CEST (22:32 UT) at KSC, Florida

    Last update: 1 February 2013

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