http://news.xinhuanet.com/world/2009-08/01/content_11806842.htm
美國"奮進"號航天飛機平安"回家"
2009年08月01日 00:06:30 來源：新華網
新華網華盛頓７月３１日電（記者任海軍）美國“奮進”號航天飛機３１日平安降落在佛羅裡達州肯尼迪航天中心，結束了為期１６天的國際空間站建設之旅。
美國航天局電視台的直播畫面顯示，“奮進”號的著陸時間為美國東部時間３１日１０時４８分（北京時間２２時４８分）。
“歡迎回家，祝賀你們圓滿完成任務，”美國航天局任務控制中心在“奮進”號著陸後對宇航員們表示。
“能夠回家，我們感到很幸福，”“奮進”號指令長馬克·波蘭斯基回應道。
“奮進”號１５日升空，１７日與空間站對接，２８日與其分離。對接期間，空間站上的人員數量達到史無前例的１３人，宇航員們合作完成了空間站“希望”號實驗艙的最後一個組件——外部實驗平台的安裝工作，並為空間站更換了電池。此外，他們還為“希望”號實驗艙安裝了兩個攝像機，並為未來的太空行走作了准備工作。
不過，空間站上在此期間也發生了一些小“事故”，例如空間站上的常用廁所１９日發生故障，導致１３名宇航員“如廁難”；以及空間站內的淨化裝置２５日因機器過熱導致電路斷路器出現故障，致使整套裝置停止工作。所幸的是這些“事故”最終都得以解決。
按計劃，在現役的３架航天飛機２０１０年退役之前，美國還將向空間站發射７次航天飛機，完成空間站的建設任務。目前空間站的建設工作已經完成了８３％。美國航天飛機的下一次發射暫定在８月底進行。
（責任編輯: 錢中兵 ）
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090731/ts_afp/usspaceshuttlejapancanada
Space shuttle Endeavour lands safely after 16-day mission
by Mark Carreau Mark Carreau – Fri Jul 31, 5:12 pm ET
HOUSTON, Texas (AFP) – The shuttle Endeavour descended safely to Earth on Friday, ending a successful 16-day assembly mission to the International Space Station (ISS) with the final piece of Japan's Kibo science laboratory.
The seven US, Canadian and Japanese astronauts aboard Endeavour touched down at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 10:48 am (1448 GMT).
There were concerns that early morning thunder storms, coastal rain showers and fog near the Florida landing site might force shuttle commander Mark Polanski and his crew to postpone their return until Saturday.
However, the stormy conditions improved after daybreak, allowing Endeavour to begin its high-speed descent to Earth.
Endeavour's crew includes Koichi Wakata, Japan's first long-duration astronaut. He returned to Earth after 138 days in space, spent mostly aboard the space station carrying out experiments in Kibo.
"Welcome home, congratulations on a superb mission from beginning to end," said mission control, as the shuttle rolled to a stop on the Florida runway under sunny skies.
"That's what it's all about," said Polansky, who shared the controls with pilot Doug Hurley for the landing after a "fantastic mission."
"We are happy to be home," Polansky said.
Wakata, adjusting to Earth's gravity after more than four months of weightlessness, told reporters "I still feel a little shakey when I walk, but I'm feeling great."
The Japanese astronaut, who turns 46 on Friday, said he was hoped to celebrate by "having a lot of sushi and birthday cake."
The shuttle astronauts delivered and installed the last major piece of the one-billion-dollar Japanese research complex, the largest and most capable of the station's three primary science modules.
Keiji Tachikawa, president of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, praised Endeavour's crew for finishing the Kibo installation.
"Completing the assembly of all the Kibo elements makes possible various experiments," he said.
"It's extremely important to our country. In addition to gaining valuable knowledge from experiments, Wakata's mission advances our country's future manned space exploration."
The new open platform for external science experiments was fastened to the primary research enclosure and a equipment stowage chamber that were launched last year.
The astronauts also furnished the new platform with an X-ray telescope, an environmental monitor and a communications device to link the space station lab with Japan's mission control in Tsukuba.
Four of the astronauts carried out five long spacewalks in which they equipped the oldest of the station's outstretched solar power modules with new storage batteries and stowed away an assortment of large external spare parts.
Both activities were intended to ensure that the station functions beyond the planned retirement of NASA's space shuttle fleet, now planned for late 2010.
The flight also saw a record number of astronauts aboard the 220-mile (354-kilometer) high orbital outpost, representing Europe, Canada, Japan, Russia and the United States.
And with 13 astronauts on the ISS, it was the first time representatives from all of the station's partners have been on the spacecraft at the same time.
"It was truly an impressive demonstration of international cooperation all throughout this mission," said Benoit Marcotte, the Canadian Space Agency's director general of operations.
The large number of astronauts on the station became a challenge in and of itself. One of the station's two toilets broken during the mission, as did another device that cleans the breathing air of carbon dioxide.
"Though people think flying on a space station is maybe somewhat routine, it's tremendously challenging," said Polanski.
"You are in a very, very unforgiving environment. Seemingly innocuous things become huge impediments," he said.
"If you have a broken toilet, you don't just run down to Lowe's or Home Depot, or call the plumber. You have to take care of it."
Endeavour dropped off American astronaut Tim Kopra at the orbital outpost, where he joined five Russian, Canadian and European fliers.
Kopra, who is making his first trip to space, is scheduled to return to Earth aboard the shuttle Discovery in early September.
Meanwhile, NASA is preparing the shuttle Discovery for an August 25 mission scheduled to last 11 days.
Discovery's astronauts will deliver research equipment, medical gear and other supplies to the orbital outpost. With the looming retirement of NASA's shuttle fleet, seven missions remain.
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