Columbus lab is opened on the ISS

HOUSTON, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- U.S. and European Space Agency astronauts officially opened the ESA's newly installed Columbus laboratory Tuesday aboard the International Space Station.

Space shuttle Atlantis' STS-122 crew and the ISS's Expedition 16 crew members opened the lab's doors at 9:08 a.m. EST and began transferring supplies and equipment into the laboratory. The Columbus module was installed on the ISS at 3:44 p.m. EST Monday during the first of three scheduled spacewalks.

Expedition 16 crew members Leopold Eyharts of the European Space Agency and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Peggy Whitson were to have been the first to officially enter Columbus during a ceremonial event. But NASA controllers in Houston said the ceremony was canceled when the space station and shuttle crews worked days ahead of their schedule and began activating systems.

Full activation of the lab isn't expected for approximately two weeks, NASA said.

Following Tuesday's work, STS-122 astronauts Rex Walheim and Hans Schlegel of the ESA were to "camp out" in the station's Quest Airlock to become acclimated for Wednesday's spacewalk, scheduled to begin at 9:35 a.m. EST.