Drama and Grease, In Space!
As much as I love Space.com’s coverage of the current shuttle mission, they can go just a bit over the fanboy edge of enthusiasm. Take these three stories that hit my RSS reader last night and this morning.
MISSION UPDATE: Space Station Urine Recycler Test Under Way
MISSION UPDATE: Space Station Urine Recycler Runs Full Test
Space Station’s Urine Recycler Passes Key Test
You want your urine recycler to pass all its key tests, I’d say. And we’re all richer for having followed the Urine Recycler Saga through to its conclusion.
Yesterday’s hourly updates during the spacewalk were equally riveting. I couldn’t help but add a bit of my own commentary as I read them this morning.
MISSION UPDATE: Astronauts Prepare for Fourth Spacewalk
LIVE Coverage: Spacewalkers Depressurize Space Station Airlock
LIVE Coverage: Astronauts Begin Fourth Spacewalk at ISS
LIVE Coverage: Spacewalkers Split Up for Station Gear Tasks
What strange forces split them apart? Will they ever come together again? And what of the airlock? Tune in next hour for the latest installment of Space Station of Desire!
Did I forget to mention that these updates come every hour?
LIVE Coverage: Spacewalker Reports Slight Wear on Station Gear
LIVE Coverage: Spacewalker Completes Space Station Gear Clean Up
Well, good. You need clean gear out there. It makes a nice first impression when the alien invasion fleet arrives.
But notice how there’s only one spacewalker? They’re still split up. I blame Sonny’s ex-wife Carly. She always was such a busybody.
LIVE Coverage: Spacewalk Passes 3-Hour Mark at ISS
LIVE Coverage: Spacewalkers Grease Up Station Gear, Install Antenna
Hey! I just cleaned that gear, you spacewalkers!
But on the good side, they’re plural once more!
LIVE Coverage: Spacewalkers Continue Work Outside Station
LIVE Coverage: Spacewalker Takes a Break Outside Station
There’s no immediate word whether any of the astronauts used one of these during their break.
MISSION UPDATE: Fourth Spacewalk Ends at Space Station
What? Nothing about repressurizing the space station airlock? I feel cheated! Come on, space.com writers. Admit it. You slacked a bit on that last update, didn’t you?
Nice to see that they ended the spacewalk at the station. It wouldn’t be such a good thing if they ended it at the Moon, or Enceladus. You always want to end where the oxygen is.
Other Posts of Interest:
- Hey, Aliens? A Little Help?
- Shuttle Endeavor Lights Up the Sky
- Cool Space Stuff – Lightning on Saturn
Category: Out in the Black
