By TonyF on 16 December 2006 at 11:15PM
The third spacewalk of STS-116 is in the books. NASA reports:
The STS-116 crew completed the rewiring of the International Space Station’s power system during the mission’s third spacewalk. Astronauts Robert Curbeam and Sunita Williams also relocated debris shield panels, attached a grapple fixture and performed a test on the partially retracted solar array before concluding the excursion at 9:56 p.m. EST.
Curbeam and Williams rerouted power through station electrical channels 1 and 4. Curbeam and STS-116 Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang rerouted power through channels 2 and 3 during the mission’s second spacewalk Thursday. The electrical work puts the station’s power system in a permanent setup and sets the stage for the addition of more solar arrays.
In order for the duo to perform the electrical work, flight controllers powered down station systems prior to the start of the spacewalk. They began repowering those systems at 4:18 p.m.
Curbeam and Williams then installed a robotic arm grapple fixture and relocated debris shield panels from the station’s interior to a storage point outside. The panels are designed to increase the protection of the station's living quarters module and will be installed during a later spacewalk by the station crew.
With time remaining, flight controllers elected to have the duo conduct a test on the P6 solar array that has not retracted properly. The spacewalkers shook the box into which the array is folding to ease tension in apparently misaligned guide wires. There were additional attempts to retract the array.
The spacewalkers also collected several tools from outside and took them into the station in preparation for a fourth STS-116 spacewalk, which will be devoted to retracting the solar array. The spacewalk will occur on Monday.
STS-116 Pilot Bill Oefelein coordinated spacewalk activities and Mission Specialist Joan Higginbotham operated the station’s robotic arm.
In other activities on Space Shuttle Discovery and the station, the two crews continue cargo transfers. The crew members will start winding down transfers Sunday.
The STS-116 crew is scheduled to wrap up their stay at the station when Discovery undocks on Tuesday Dec. 19.
Flight Day 6 Pics and Videos are up at the JSC Gallery.
By TonyF on 16 December 2006 at 8:50AM
Flight Day 8 will see the third spacewalk of Discovery's mission. Will there be a fourth? NASA reports:
Image above: STS-116 and Expedition 14 crew members participate in a joint news conference on Friday. Image Credit: NASA TV
The STS-116 crew will complete the rewiring of the International Space Station today during the mission’s third spacewalk. STS-116 Mission Specialist Robert Curbeam and Expedition 14 Flight Engineer Sunita Williams are scheduled to begin the excursion at 2:37 p.m. EST.
Curbeam and Williams will reroute power through station electrical channels 1 and 4. Curbeam and STS-116 Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang rerouted power through channels 2 and 3 during the mission’s second spacewalk Thursday. The electrical work will put the station’s power system in a permanent setup and set the stage for the addition of more solar arrays.
Before the orbital electricians can do their work, flight controllers will power down half of the station’s systems starting at 11:52 a.m. Flight controllers will systematically power up those systems after Curbeam and Williams complete their tasks.
Other tasks scheduled for today’s spacewalk include the installation of a robotic arm grapple fixture and the relocation of debris shield panels from the station’s interior to a storage point outside. The panels are designed to increase the protection of the station's living quarters module and will be installed during a later spacewalk by the station crew.
Some troubleshooting of the P6 solar array that has not retracted properly may be added to the spacewalk if time allows. The task would call for at least one of the spacewalkers to go to the P6 truss and push on the box into which the array is folding to ease tension in apparently misaligned guide wires. The result could lead to an additional attempt to retract the array.
The spacewalkers also may collect several tools from outside and bring them into the station in preparation for a possible fourth STS-116 spacewalk, which could be devoted to retracting the solar array. Flight controllers have not made a decision on a fourth spacewalk. If a decision is made to pursue that option, the spacewalk would occur on Monday.
In other activities on Space Shuttle Discovery and the Station, the two crews continue cargo transfers.
Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.
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