Astronaut missed the spacewalk by Zuzana Zelenakova

Hans Schlegel, aged 56 is astronaut of German origin and currently a member of the crew on space shuttle Atlantis. The mission's main objective is to bring up $2 billion European Space Agency's science laboratory called Columbus, connect it to the International Space Station and activate it. A control center is being built in Europe to follow the ISS and most of all Columbus. By having lab module on orbit Europe becomes an important partner in international spaceflight community. Schlegel did not take part in the first spacewalk because of his illness, which he refused to specify, because "medical issues are private." "I did my very best inside," said the Mission Specialist 3. "But I do not deny that personally, for me, that was a little bit bitter. But it was the better choice to have the other crew member go out, and once that decision was made, I fully supported as much as I could." When it comes to the next spacewalk on Wednesday, February 13 there are no changes announced from NASA and European Space Agency officials. Schlegel is to go outside together with Rex Walheim who participated on Monday outing, and to adapt new nitrogen tank to the space station. The astronauts spent Tuesday by opening up and installing Columbus. "I have to say that the crew is like a bunch of kids with a new toy box," said flight director Bob Dempsey. Although there were some initial problems NASA stated that it is only natural with a new hardware. Atlantis will leave the ISS no sooner than Sunday.

by Zuzana Zelenakova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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Edited by Katarina Rastocna