Hurray! The American STS-122 has successfully delivered the European Columbus module to the International Space Station. Another piece in the puzzle to our way to the conquest of outer space.

This is a long-term science module supposed to explore the effects of weightlessness for the next ten years. It is installed by  ESA astronauts Léopold Eyharts (France) and Hans Schlegel (a secret Teutonic Overlord) plus five Yankees.

You can read more on the mission blog here or watch some current transmission on NASA TV.

Isn’t it great to live in the 21st century? Remember the few and fuzzy images from the Moon landings? Now we have almost direct access / transmission from these space adventures.

More? Video of the takeoff, inflight video (heading to ISS) and flying over Japan.