After a third space flight in 1996, Nicollier, during his fourth flight in 1999, finally got his chance to work outside the space ship. During an eight hour repair job on the Hubble Telescope, he saw five sun ups and sunsets. «Though, one does not feel any movement as up there, there is no wind, yet one moves at a speed of 27'000 kilometers per hour», said Nicollier. «At this speed I flew over all of Switzerland in 30 seconds.» Of central importance to manned flights is the «International Space Station» (ISS). On the 8th of June this year, the most recent mission with six Americans on board, took off to enlarge the ISS. A second solar panel is to be installed, and by the end of the year 2010, the ISS project should be completed. For Nicollier this is a happy prospect, albeit tinged with a drop of bitterness. Because, «at the same time, the Space Shuttle, after 29 years of service is to be retired and replaced by a space capsule which is scheduled to be ready by 2014» according to Nicollier. The space glider is too expensive and also dangerous. |