It's Getting Dark In The Kibo Space Lab

The newest additions to the International Space Station, JAXA's Kibo Space Laboratories, are facing an unforeseen challenge. Unforeseen because it's getting too dark to see anything. Over half of the 21 florescent bulbs in the labs have already burned out since the modules' installation early this summer. Unfortunately with other bulbs burning out in the station, there are no spares left on board. As it gets darker in Kibo's two modules, JAXA is concerned that performing experiments will be too difficult. Senior managers believe the problem is due to the vacuum inside the bulb deteriorating since being in orbit. The Japanese Space Agency is currently working on an LED replacement for the fluorescent tubes, but that new system won't be ready until 2010. Astronauts on board will just have to wait until at least November when the next ISS-servicing Shuttle flight arrives with some spare bulbs. Can you light a candle in space?

[Wired Science]

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Discovery to launch today with station module, toilet fix

The external tank attached to the Space Shuttle Discovery is being fueled with liquid hydrogen and oxygen as I blog this to you in preparation for its launch this evening around 5:02 EDT. Discovery's mission, STS-124, is all set to deliver the main Japanese experiment module, Kibo, to the ISS. Kibo will be the largest payload delivered to the station by the shuttle fleet to date. More important to crew of Expedition 17 on the ISS, however, is the repair kit that was hastily loaded on to the mid deck of Discovery this week after the toilet on the space station broke down. In the mean time, astronauts on the ISS have been using the cramped facilities on the attached Soyuz spacecraft to do their "duty". That toilet only has a 3 day capacity, so getting the repairs on Discovery up to the ISS can't come soon enough. Especially if you've been pinching it off for the last 5 days.

Godspeed, Discovery!

Watch the launch of Discovery live here.

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Endeavour wraps up impressive mission

Some nice video of Endeavour's landing last night at the Kennedy Space Center following the completion of STS-123. Their mission was far from ordinary as they delivered Dextre, a crazy space construction robot; and the first component of Kibo, Japan's contribution to the ISS. The mission was also the first to use the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System where Endeavour was able to be powered by the ISS while docked, allowing for a longer mission. Too bad this feature is online late in the shuttle fleet's life as this would have been beneficial earlier on in the building phases of the ISS. The next shuttle mission should have Discovery bringing the other portion of the Kibo lab by the end of May. Up next for the ISS is the automated docking of ESA's Jules Verne ATV which will provide the station crew supplies and be capable of boosting the ISS to a higher orbit.