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Introduction

Hello World! This is Manish Iyer. And this, is my very own little space in the cyberworld to rant about anything and everything under the sun...This will also contain a section for physics and aerospace...something that I've always loved and will continue to do so till the end. So go ahead...sit back and enjoy the ride!

Monday, June 11, 2007

Astronauts Finish First STS-117 Spacewalk

Mission Specialists Jim Reilly and John “Danny” Olivas successfully completed tasks during STS-117’s first spacewalk to activate the International Space Station’s newest component.

The 6-hour, 15-minute excursion concluded at 10:17 p.m. EDT.

Reilly and Olivas went to work after the Starboard 3 and 4 (S3/S4) truss segment was installed onto the station. They made power, data and cooling connections between the station and the S3/S4. The spacewalkers also released locks and launch restraints on the segment’s solar arrays and prepared its radiator and rotary joint for operation.

The radiator was deployed during the spacewalk. The solar arrays will be unfurled Tuesday. STS-117 Pilot Lee Archambault and Expedition 15 Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov were at the controls of the station’s robotic arm during the spacewalk. STS-117 Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester coordinated the spacewalk.

The start of the spacewalk and the attachment of the truss were delayed due to the saturation of the control moment gyros that control the attitude of the station. Flight controllers performed standard procedures to bring the CMGs back to normal operations.

S3/S4 activation activities will continue during STS-117’s second spacewalk, slated to take place Wednesday afternoon.



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