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After receiving a congratulatory call from President Barack Obama, the astronauts aboard the space shuttle Discovery are preparing to say goodbye to the astronauts that will remain aboard the International Space Station. The hatches between the two spacecrafts will be closed early Wednesday afternoon, three hours before the Discovery will undock from the ISS.
After delivering and installing the final set of solar power panels on the ISS, delivering the firs alive-onboard Japanese astronaut and a water recycling system to the station, space shuttle Discovery will now return back on earth bringing with it the results and experience of five month’s worth of experiments aboard the ISS.
The Discovery is also bringing with it about five liters of recycled water resulted from the urine and condensation of the ISS crew members. The space agency wants to make sure the water is safe to drink up there.
President Obama showed once again that he has a great sense of humor while talking with the astronauts. Knowing that the ISS is traveling at a cruising speed of 17,500 mph, the president told the astronauts:
"We're glad that you are using the hands free phone."
The President praised the two crews of astronauts and said he was very proud of them for the work they have been doing. He also emphasized that one of his administration’s priorities – the implementation of renewable energy technology – is being used in space as well.
"We're investing back here on the ground a whole array of solar and other renewable energy projects and so to find out that you're doing this up at the space station is particularly exciting," Obama said.
By installing the final two solar wings on the ISS, NASA has doubled the amount of energy it can use for experiments aboard the space station and also doubled the number of crew members the station can host, from three to six.
Image Credit: www.nasa.gov
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