News From Space!

Sunday’s spacewalk is underway. NASA reports:

STS-117 Crew Conducting Fourth Spacewalk

Image above: Mission Specialist Steven Swanson exits the Quest airlock at the start of today’s spacewalk. Image credit: NASA TV

Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester and Steven Swanson began their Father’s Day spacewalk at 12:25 p.m. EDT. While outside, they are scheduled to tackle a number of tasks, including work to prepare the International Space Station’s new truss segment for operation.

The STS-117 crew installed the Starboard 3 and 4 (S3/S4) truss segment onto the station on June 11. The spacewalkers will prepare S3/S4’s Solar Alpha Rotary joint (SARJ) for activation. The SARJ will allow the S3/S4 arrays to track the Sun.

The spacewalkers will verify installation of the Drive Lock Assembly 2, one of two mechanisms that will drive rotation of the SARJ and remove the final launch restraints on the SARJ. Other scheduled tasks on the new truss include the removal of a keel pin and drag link and the installation of a camera.

The spacewalkers will install a computer network cable onto the Unity module and remove a Global Positioning System antenna. The duo is also slated to complete the installation of a piece of debris shielding on the Destiny laboratory.

Mission Specialist Jim Reilly is coordinating the spacewalk and Pilot Lee Archambault is operating the robot arm. Expedition 15 Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov is working with Reilly as he trains for upcoming spacewalks by the station crew in which he will serve as coordinator.

Videos from Flight Day 8 and 9 are up at the JSC Gallery. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.

Happy Father’s Day! Sunday will see the last of four EVAs outside the Atlantis-ISS complex, for STS-117. The Station’s computer woes seem to be getting better, but undocking may be pushed back one more day if Station thrusters don’t respond to computer commands. NASA reports:

Atlantis Astronauts to Go Spacewalking for Fourth Time

Image above: The Expedition 15 and STS-117 crews participate in a crew news conference with reporters on Earth. Image credit: NASA TV

Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester and Steven Swanson will continue to activate the International Space Station’s new truss segment during STS-117’s fourth spacewalk. The astronauts are scheduled to begin the six-hour spacewalk at 12:53 p.m. EDT today.

The STS-117 crew installed the Starboard 3 and 4 (S3/S4) truss segment onto the station on June 11. The spacewalkers will check out the Drive Lock Assembly 2, one of two mechanisms that will drive rotation of the S3/S4 Truss Solar Alpha Rotary Joint (SARJ). They will remove the final launch restraints on the SARJ. The spacewalkers will also remove a keel pin and drag link from S3.

Other tasks scheduled for the spacewalk include the installation of a computer network cable onto the Unity module and the removal of a Global Positioning System antenna. The duo is also slated to complete the installation of a piece of debris shielding on the Destiny laboratory.

Forrester and Swanson conducted STS-117’s second spacewalk. Mission Specialists Jim Reilly and Danny Olivas conducted the other two. Today’s excursion will be the 88th spacewalk devoted to station assembly and maintenance.

Flight Day 8 pics are up at the JSC Gallery. CNN video clips here. Check the links at right for play-by-play and NASA TV.