(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-02-10 14:59

Atlantis mission specialist and spacewalker Rex Walheim (R) and Expedition 16 flight engineer Dan Tani (L) transfer German astronaut Hans Schlegel's spacesuit, which bears the German flag, to the International Space Station after arrival at the orbital outpost in this image from NASA TV February 9, 2008. [Agencies]

Space station astronaut Daniel Tani, in orbit for nearly four months, wasted no time swapping places with newly arrived Frenchman Leopold Eyharts. The two formally exchanged spacecraft seats late Saturday, a day early. Tani will return to Earth aboard the shuttle, leaving Eyharts behind.

As for the Columbus lab, its delayed installation was just another bump in the road for the European Space Agency.

The original plan called for Columbus to be launched in 1992 to mark the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' voyage to the New World. But years passed as NASA redesigned the space station. Then station construction ended up being stalled, and then the shuttle fleet was grounded for 2 1/2 years following the Columbia tragedy.

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