COLBERT, Leonardo and a Neutralino Heading for Space Station

By Nancy Atkinson - August 28, 2009 at 10:00 PM UTC | Space Exploration
Discovery-lift-off.jpg

[/caption] The third launch attempt was a charm for space shuttle Discovery and her crew. The STS-128 mission is now underway with a successful liftoff one minute before midnight, local time, from Kennedy Space Center. Discovery is carrying the Leonardo supply module to the International Space Station, and tucked away inside is the COLBERT treadmill, along with several refrigerator-sized racks of science equipment, a freezer to store research samples, a new sleeping compartment, an air purification system, and other supplies, plus another unusual object packed in Swedish astronaut Christer Fuglesang's belongings: a theoretical particle called a neutralino.

[caption id="attachment_38580" align="aligncenter" width="250" caption="The plush particle with the CERN logo. Source: CERN"]

[/caption] As you may have guessed, Fugelsang didn't bring a real neutralino, but a soft toy version (

see the whole collection of particles at Particle Zoo.

) Fugelsang is a former CERN physicist and he wanted to take something representing CERN up to space on his mission. He chose the neutralino because it links together astrophysics and particle physics. In particle physics, the neutralino is a hypothetical particle, one of many predicted by supersymmetric theories.

The countdown and launch were textbook, without any hitches or delays. The valve that scrubbed a launch attempt earlier this week behaved normally, and while weather (which forced the first launch scrub) was a concern early during the countdown, the Florida skies eventually cleared allowing for a gorgeous nighttime liftoff. The stunning lead image is courtesy of

flyingjenny

on Twitter. Click the image for more of her images. Several comments from Twitterers attending the launch said night was turned into day as the shuttle ascended!

The mission is commanded by veteran astronaut Rick "C.J." Sturckow. With him are pilot Kevin Ford and Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester, Jose Hernandez, John "Danny" Olivas, and Fugelsang, along with a new crew member for the station, Nicole Stott.

Of course, the treadmill is named after comedian Stephen Colbert, (if you've been living under a rock and haven't heard about this, read about it

here)

and otherwise is called the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill.

Discovery is scheduled to dock with the ISS on Sunday August 30.

Sources: NASA TV,

CERN

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson

Nancy Atkinson is a space journalist and author with a passion for telling the stories of people involved in space exploration and astronomy. She is currently retired from daily writing, but worked at Universe Today for 20 years as a writer and editor. She also contributed articles to The Planetary Society, Ad Astra (National Space Society), New Scientist and many other online outlets.

Her 2019 book, "Eight Years to the Moon: The History of the Apollo Missions,” shares the untold stories of engineers and scientists who worked behind the scenes to make the Apollo program so successful, despite the daunting odds against it. Her first book “Incredible Stories From Space: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Missions Changing Our View of the Cosmos” (2016) tells the stories of 37 scientists and engineers that work on several current NASA robotic missions to explore the solar system and beyond.

Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador, and through this program, she has the opportunity to share her passion of space and astronomy with children and adults through presentations and programs. Nancy's personal website is nancyatkinson.com