Harmony moved to final location


Harmony and PMA2 relocation
 
Harmony and PMA2 during relocation to the front end of the US Destiny lab
 
 
14 November 2007
 
Astronauts on board the International Space Station have relocated Harmony to its final position on the forward facing port of the US Destiny laboratory, preparing the way for the arrival of the European Columbus laboratory.
 
The Italian-built Harmony module, also known as Node 2, was delivered to the International Space Station (ISS) during the recent STS-120 mission. During the mission's first spacewalk, Harmony was installed in a temporary location on the port facing side of Unity.

Following the departure of STS-120 the Expedition 16 crew proceeded to relocate the Space Shuttle docking port, PMA2, from its location on the forward end of Destiny to the end of Harmony.
 
 
Nespoli floats inside Harmony
 
ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli floats inside Harmony during the STS-120 mission
 
 
On 14 November, Expedition 16 crew member Daniel Tani used the Station's robotic arm, Canadarm2, to move the Node 2 connecting module, with PMA2 attached, to its permanent location on the front of the ISS.

Final outfitting of Harmony is scheduled to take place during two spacewalks planned for 20 and 24 November.

The European Columbus laboratory is the cornerstone of ESA’s contribution to the ISS and the first European laboratory dedicated to long-term research in space. Columbus will be carried into orbit in the cargo bay of Space Shuttle Atlantis on the STS-122 mission, targeted for launch on 6 December 2007. Columbus will be installed on the starboard side of Harmony during the mission's first spacewalk.

The STS-122 crew includes ESA astronauts Hans Schlegel and Léopold Eyharts. Eyharts will remain on the ISS for two months as a member of the Expedition 16 crew to oversee the in-orbit commissioning of Columbus and its experimental facilities.
 
 
 •  Esperia Mission (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Esperia/index.html)

Related articles

 •  Columbus moves to payload canister (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMDT3NHE8F_index_0.html)
 •  Columbus hatch closed for last time (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMBR8JJX7F_index_0.html)
 •  Discovery's return marks completion of Esperia Mission (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEM3TZUOM8F_index_0.html)
 •  Astronauts enter Harmony for first time (http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMMQXEWB8F_index_0.html)
 •  Harmony looks ahead to the International Space Station (http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEM91GVH48F_iss_0.html)

Related links

 •  Node 2: Connecting Module (http://www.esa.int/esaHS/ESAWEL0VMOC_iss_0.html)
 •  Columbus laboratory (http://www.esa.int/esaHS/ESAAYI0VMOC_iss_0.html)
 •  STS-120 (NASA) (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts120/index.html)
 •  STS-122 (NASA) (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts122/index.html)
 •  Related ESApod (http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/ESApod/index.html)
 •  European Columbus laboratory is ready to launch (http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMF2QMHE8F_iss_0.html)
 •  Columbus Control Centre – heart of European ISS operations (http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMEGZUOM8F_iss_0.html)
 •  ISS update October 2007 (http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEMBXE2PL7F_iss_0.html)