Northwestern Univ. doctor to make history

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Nov. 12 (UPI) -- A Northwestern University physician is to become the first orthopedic surgeon to orbit the Earth when he lifts off on space shuttle Atlantis.

Dr. Robert Satcher will be aboard Atlantis Monday at 2:28 p.m. EST when it starts its 11-day mission to the international space station.

Scheduled to take part in three spacewalks with the rest of the STS-129 crew, Satcher will rely on his surgical training in joint replacements to help repair two robotic arms on the exterior of the space station.

In addition, the 44-year-old assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the university's Feinberg School of Medicine will also conduct medical experiments aboard the shuttle, investigating the effects of outer space on the body's immune system, changes in sitting height and bone formation in mice.

Officials said Satcher will tweet his experiences at www.twitter.com/astro_bones, as well as tweet about medical issues for space exploration on www.twitter.com/ZeroG_MD.

Satcher has been on leave from Northwestern since he was accepted into the NASA astronaut training program in 2004.