Note: Only forum leaders may delete posts.
*HTML is ON *UBB Code is ON Smilies Legend
Smilies Legend
[b]Cosmonauts complete spacewalk, mark Flag Day[/b] Two Russian cosmonauts wrapped up a 5 hour, 58 minute spacewalk at 12:32 p.m. CDT (1732 GMT) on Thursday (Aug. 22), completing the replacement of a laser communications experiment with a new platform for a small optical camera system, the installation of new spacewalk aids and an inspection of antenna covers. The spacewalk proceeded mostly as planned, despite encountering a problem while trying to install the camera platform. ISS Expedition 36 flight engineers Fyodor Yurchikhin and Alexander Misurkin began to install the platform before noticing that its base plate was not properly aligned. Initially, Mission Control told the two spacewalkers to stand down, and Yurchikhin returned the platform to the Pirs airlock. However, after determining the alignment issue could be corrected after its installation, flight controllers directed the spacewalkers to retrieve the platform from the airlock and install it at as planned on the starboard side of Zvezda. Two cameras, scheduled to be delivered to station aboard a Progress cargo craft in November, will be mounted on the platform during a spacewalk planned for December. Misurkin and Yurchikhin then headed to various locations on Zvezda to inspect six antennas that are used to assist in providing navigation data during the rendezvous and docking of European Automated Transfer Vehicle cargo ships. The inspection involved work to check out the antenna covers and tighten screws on any loose covers. One of the covers was observed floating away from the station on Monday (Aug. 19), and Russian station officials wanted to determine its origin and insure that the remaining covers are secure. Due to time constraints, the relocation of a foot restraint from the hull of Zvezda to the new spacewalk workstation was deferred to a later excursion. Yurchikhin and Misurkin unfurled a Russian flag near the end of the spacewalk in commemoration of Russian Flag Day.
Contact Us | The Source for Space History & Artifacts
Copyright 1999-2024 collectSPACE. All rights reserved.