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Spacewalk to finish ISS rewiring | Spacewalk to finish ISS rewiring |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Two crew members of the space shuttle Discovery have begun a fresh spacewalk to rewire the International Space Station (ISS). | |
Astronauts Robert Curbeam and Sunita Williams appeared in good spirits as they emerged from the ISS through an airtight hatch at 1937 GMT. | |
They hope to finish rewiring, begun on Thursday, during the six-hour mission. | |
The rewiring, delayed after the 2003 Columbia disaster, will provide a power upgrade to support extra equipment. | The rewiring, delayed after the 2003 Columbia disaster, will provide a power upgrade to support extra equipment. |
Astronauts are also trying to fix a jammed solar panel on the ISS. | Astronauts are also trying to fix a jammed solar panel on the ISS. |
The array, which needs to be folded away to make room for new panels, jammed as the astronauts attempted to retract it by remote control. | The array, which needs to be folded away to make room for new panels, jammed as the astronauts attempted to retract it by remote control. |
It has been six years since the 35m (115ft) wing, which has served as the space station's primary power source, was deployed and it has not been retracted during that period. | It has been six years since the 35m (115ft) wing, which has served as the space station's primary power source, was deployed and it has not been retracted during that period. |
A solar panel on the space station failed to retractNew solar panels, fitted in September, will take over the job of powering the ISS, boosting its power by about 50%. | A solar panel on the space station failed to retractNew solar panels, fitted in September, will take over the job of powering the ISS, boosting its power by about 50%. |
On Thursday the team spent hours grappling with the panel but failed to fix it. | On Thursday the team spent hours grappling with the panel but failed to fix it. |
Saturday's spacewalk is the third carried out by Discovery's seven-strong crew. | |
Nasa officials are considering the possibility of a fourth spacewalk to carry out a hands-on repairs on the panel. | Nasa officials are considering the possibility of a fourth spacewalk to carry out a hands-on repairs on the panel. |
Night flight | Night flight |
The mission is taking place to finish the $100bn (£50bn) station. At least 14 more missions are needed. | The mission is taking place to finish the $100bn (£50bn) station. At least 14 more missions are needed. |
Discovery blasted off from Florida last weekend in the first night launch of a space shuttle in four years, after being delayed for two days because of bad weather. | |
Discovery's launch left a fiery trail in the Florida sky | Discovery's launch left a fiery trail in the Florida sky |
The landing date is set for 21 December back at the Kennedy Space Center. | The landing date is set for 21 December back at the Kennedy Space Center. |
It is as yet unclear whether an additional spacewalk would prolong the trip which is scheduled to last 12 days. | It is as yet unclear whether an additional spacewalk would prolong the trip which is scheduled to last 12 days. |
Discovery's crew consists of Commander Mark Polansky, pilot William Oefelein and mission specialists Robert Curbeam, Joan Higginbotham, Nicholas Patrick, Sunita Williams and the European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang. | Discovery's crew consists of Commander Mark Polansky, pilot William Oefelein and mission specialists Robert Curbeam, Joan Higginbotham, Nicholas Patrick, Sunita Williams and the European Space Agency astronaut Christer Fuglesang. |
A British-born astronaut, Nicholas Patrick, is among Discovery's crew. For five of the seven astronauts, this is their first shuttle flight. | A British-born astronaut, Nicholas Patrick, is among Discovery's crew. For five of the seven astronauts, this is their first shuttle flight. |
One of crew, US astronaut Sunita Williams, will stay on at the ISS when Discovery heads home, taking German Thomas Reiter back to Earth. | One of crew, US astronaut Sunita Williams, will stay on at the ISS when Discovery heads home, taking German Thomas Reiter back to Earth. |