ISS gets ready for new computer system

HOUSTON, March 19 (UPI) -- The International Space Station crew installed a new window last week and has started preparing for upcoming missions, as well as a new computer system.

The new window was installed Wednesday on the port side hatch of the Unity node. It is fitted with a berthing camera system that includes target markings on the outside of the hatch to help robotic operators align and dock the station's new elements.

The window was the second hatch window installed on the space station. A similar window was installed by Expedition 6 crew members on Unity's starboard hatch.

Additional work included preparations for the April 9 arrival of the Expedition 15 crew and U.S. spaceflight participant Charles Simonyi aboard Soyuz TMA-10.

This week, space station Cmdr. Michael Lopez-Alegria and Flight Engineer Suni Williams will conduct some of the work required to install the station's new integrated station computer network.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration controllers at the Johnson Space Center in Houston said that system will be 10 times faster than the station's current local area network.