Columbus Laboratory attached to the Space Station
The European Space Agency's Columbus laboratory module was successfully removed from the shuttle Atlantis' cargo bay today and bolted to its permanent home on the front right side of the international space station to accomplish the primary goal of the year's first shuttle mission.
"Columbus is touching the station for the first time," French astronaut Leopold Eyharts radioed at 21:29 GMT. as the station's robot arm, operated by shuttle astronaut Leland Melvin, moved Columbus into position for bolting.
"All right!" someone exclaimed. "Good job, guys!"
A few minutes later, motorized bolts in the common berthing mechanism engaged to pull Columbus firmly into place on the right-side port of the Harmony connecting module.
"Houston and Munich, the European Columbus laboraory module is now part of the ISS," Eyharts radioed at 21:44 GMT.
J. Martín Canales Romero
Columbus Operations Coordinator
ISS Flight Operations
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