spacetoday.net: NASA replaces injured STS-133 astronaut

Posted: Thu, Jan 20, 2011, 7:05 AM ET (1205 GMT)
Kopra, Tim (NASA)

NASA announced Wednesday that it will replace an astronaut on next month's STS-133 shuttle mission after he was injured in a bike accident over the weekend. Steve Bowen will replace Tim Kopra on the STS-133 mission, allowing the shuttle to remain on its current schedule of a February 24 launch. Kopra was injured riding a bicycle over the weekend and NASA officials determined he would not be in condition to fly on the shuttle next month. Bowen flew on the STS-132 mission last May, making him the first astronaut to fly back-to-back missions. OFficials said they chose Bowen because of his spacewalking experience, allowing him to take over the spacewalking duties on the upcoming mission planned for Kopra.