The Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module is being lifted out of the shuttle cargo bay and attached to the Earth facing port of the International Space Station’s Harmony node.
The task is being performed by the Atlantis pilot Dough Hurley and mission specialist Sandy Magnus in the International Space Station’s cupola robotic workstation.
The astronauts are using the Canadarm2 to grapple the Raffello which is a 21 foot long and 15 foot wide, 12.5 ton heavy module. It is packed with all kinds of goodies for the International Space Station which includes 8,000 pounds worth of spare parts, spare equipment, food and other supplies that are intended to last the space station till 2012.
The Raffaello also has eight Resupply Stowage Platforms (RSPs), two Intermediate Stowage Platforms (ISPs), six Resupply Stowage Racks (RSRs) and one Zero Stowage Rack. There is also other good news from the International Space Station as Mission Control has verified that the orbital debris piece track is not a threat to it and the space shuttle Atlantis.
Hence there will be no need to make adjustments to the docked space craft’s orbit to avoid the debris. The floating debris is a part of the satellite COSMOS375. It is not alone as there are about 500,000 pieces of tracked debris floating around in the Earth’s orbit.