Mission Control Center, Houston, Texas
Endeavour’s third spacewalk prepared the International Space Station for the next step in solar array deployment and voice communications system upgrades despite an early end called because of a damaged glove.
The spacewalk began at 9:38 a.m. for Mission Specialist Rick Mastracchio and station Flight Engineer Clay Anderson. At 1:54 p.m., during a periodic glove check, Mastracchio noted a hole in the second layer of material on the thumb of his left glove. The suit has five protective layers, and the small hole did not cause any leak or danger to Mastracchio.
As a precautionary measure, Mastracchio headed back to the Quest airlock while Anderson completed his final task. The spacewalk ended at 3:05 p.m., with a total time of 5 hours and 28 minutes. During the excursion, Mastracchio and Anderson relocated the S-Band Antenna Sub-Assembly from Port 6 (P6) to Port 1 (P1), installed a new transponder on P1 and retrieved the P6 transponder.
The spacewalkers also monitored the station’s robotic arm as Mission Specialist Charlie Hobaugh and station Flight Engineer Oleg Kotov moved two Crew Equipment Translation Aid carts. The move enabled relocation of the solar array segment to its final position during STS-120. Mission Specialist Tracy Caldwell coordinated the spacewalk from inside, while Mission Specialist Barbara R. Morgan provided camera views using the shuttle robotic arm.
The only task not completed was the retrieval of two space material sample packages. Materials International Space Station Experiments 3 and 4 will be retrieved on a later spacewalk.
Mission managers in Houston continue to consider whether a spacewalk will be needed to repair a small gouge on Endeavour’s heat shield tiles. Before going to bed, the crew was informed that managers have decided the next spacewalk will be moved from Friday to Saturday, but that they haven’t decided whether Saturday’s spacewalk will be devoted to tile repair or get-ahead tasks.
To protect for various schedule possibilities, the crew on Thursday will proceed with early preparations for a tile repair spacewalk.
The rest of the Endeavour and station crew, Commander Scott Kelly, mission specialists Dave Williams and Alvin Drew and station Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin, also supported the relocation and installation work. The crews continued transferring supplies and equipment between Endeavour and the station.
The next status report will be issued Thursday morning or earlier if events warrant.
