Shuttle Endeavour reaches the International Space Station; ISRO probe reaches the moon; and a new urine recycling machine aboard the ISS
After shuttle Endeavour launched towards the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday evening, the shuttle's crew inspected the spacecraft's wings and heat shield, looking for structural damage. Nothing serious was discovered, and the crew will not be forced to conduct an additional spacewalk to make repairs to the shuttle.
Due to the shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003, NASA now requires each manned shuttle launch to carefully examine the shuttle to make sure it'll be safe to make the journey back to Earth.
Shuttle Endeavour has safely docked with the ISS, and the crew has begun its scheduled 15-day mission that includes four spacewalks. Astronauts will continue to work on the ISS's solar arrays, and will add a new living area, bathroom and galley.
The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) successfully put a probe on the surface of the moon, while also completing scientific research during the trip. The probe, which launched from the Chandrayaan 1, helped collect data on the moon's atmosphere, and will continue to orbit the moon in the future.
ISRO joins Japan and China as Asian space nations conducting moon research in a renewed space rivalry between the trio of countries.
A new water-recycling device expected to be installed on the ISS will make it possible for astronauts to recycle the crew's urine and turn it into water that everyone can drink.
"We did blind taste tests of the water," NASA engineer Bob Bagdigian said. "Nobody had any strong objections. Other than a faint taste of iodine, it is just as refreshing as any other kind of water."
The $250 million device will become absolutely vital after NASA retires its current generation of space shuttles, as the shuttles will no longer be able to deliver supplies and water to the six-man ISS crew. If everything goes according to plan, NASA will be able to create six gallons of water per day using the expensive gadget.
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