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View Full Version : NASA Spacewalking astronaut completes unique repair


Jacques van Oene
August 3rd 05, 07:52 PM
Melissa Mathews/James Hartsfield
Johnson Space Center, Houston August 3, 2005
(Phone: 281/483-5111)

RELEASE: 05-212

NASA'S SPACEWALKING ASTRONAUT COMPLETES UNIQUE REPAIR

With surgical precision, the crews of the Space Shuttle Discovery and
the International Space Station today completed a delicate operation to
remove loose material sticking out between heat-shielding tiles on the
Orbiter's belly.

Spacewalking astronaut Steve Robinson rode the Station's robotic arm to
reach Discovery's underside, and he easily pulled out two ceramic cloth gap
fillers protruding from the tiled surface. "It looks like this big patient
is cured," Robinson said when the task was complete.

Today marks the first time an astronaut worked on the underside of a Shuttle
in space. A large ground team of engineers, flight controllers and
experienced astronauts spent several days planning the task. On Monday,
mission managers decided to add the job to today's already-planned
spacewalk. NASA wanted to ensure the protruding fillers would not add extra
heating to the tiles, as Discovery re-entered the atmosphere.

Aboard Discovery, STS-114 astronaut Andy Thomas coordinated the spacewalk,
while astronauts Jim Kelly and Wendy Lawrence operated the Shuttle and
Station robotic arms. Japanese astronaut and fellow spacewalker Soichi
Noguchi kept an eye on Robinson and helped with communications.

New imaging and inspection capabilities developed after the Shuttle Columbia
accident allowed engineers to identify the protruding gap fillers on
Discovery. They were spotted in photographs taken from the Station during an
unprecedented back flip maneuver Commander Eileen Collins guided Discovery
through as it approached the complex. The flip allowed the Station crew to
photograph the Shuttle's underside.

Commander Collins and the Discovery crew are scheduled to return to Earth
early Monday. For more information, including images of today's spacewalk,
visit:

www.nasa.gov/returntoflight


-end-


--
--------------

Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info

Lynndel K. Humphreys
August 3rd 05, 08:01 PM
The first non post flight shuttle walk around for trivia buffs.


"Jacques van Oene" > wrote in message
. ..
> Melissa Mathews/James Hartsfield
> Johnson Space Center, Houston August 3, 2005
> (Phone: 281/483-5111)
>
> RELEASE: 05-212
>
> NASA'S SPACEWALKING ASTRONAUT COMPLETES UNIQUE REPAIR
>
> With surgical precision, the crews of the Space Shuttle Discovery and
> the International Space Station today completed a delicate operation to
> remove loose material sticking out between heat-shielding tiles on the
> Orbiter's belly.
>
> Spacewalking astronaut Steve Robinson rode the Station's robotic arm to
> reach Discovery's underside, and he easily pulled out two ceramic cloth
gap
> fillers protruding from the tiled surface. "It looks like this big patient
> is cured," Robinson said when the task was complete.
>
> Today marks the first time an astronaut worked on the underside of a
Shuttle
> in space. A large ground team of engineers, flight controllers and
> experienced astronauts spent several days planning the task. On Monday,
> mission managers decided to add the job to today's already-planned
> spacewalk. NASA wanted to ensure the protruding fillers would not add
extra
> heating to the tiles, as Discovery re-entered the atmosphere.
>
> Aboard Discovery, STS-114 astronaut Andy Thomas coordinated the spacewalk,
> while astronauts Jim Kelly and Wendy Lawrence operated the Shuttle and
> Station robotic arms. Japanese astronaut and fellow spacewalker Soichi
> Noguchi kept an eye on Robinson and helped with communications.
>
> New imaging and inspection capabilities developed after the Shuttle
Columbia
> accident allowed engineers to identify the protruding gap fillers on
> Discovery. They were spotted in photographs taken from the Station during
an
> unprecedented back flip maneuver Commander Eileen Collins guided Discovery
> through as it approached the complex. The flip allowed the Station crew to
> photograph the Shuttle's underside.
>
> Commander Collins and the Discovery crew are scheduled to return to Earth
> early Monday. For more information, including images of today's spacewalk,
> visit:
>
> www.nasa.gov/returntoflight
>
>
> -end-
>
>
> --
> --------------
>
> Jacques :-)
>
> www.spacepatches.info
>
>
>



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