Update on Space Shuttle Endeavour STS-130 Mission - February 16, 2010

Mission Update:

Third and Final STS-130 Spacewalk Tonight

Kick-off Time Around 9:09pm EST

Original Post Date:
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
4:26pm EST

. About today’s photo: Mission Specialist Robert Behnken participates in the mission's second spacewalk lasting five-hour, 54-minutes. Behnken and Mission Specialist Nicholas Patrick connected two ammonia coolant loops, installed thermal covers around the ammonia hoses, outfitted the Earth-facing port on the Tranquility node for the relocation of Cupola, and installed handrails and a vent valve on the new module.
Image credit: NASA / Taken 2-14-10

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The Crew of Space Shuttle Endeavour awoke at 4:15pm EST to the song “Window on the World” by Jimmy Buffett, played for Mission Specialist Kathryn Hire.

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The mission’s third and final spacewalk is today. Spacewalkers Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick will complete the work on the Tranquility node and the cupola’s exterior, including removing covers and launch locks. Inside, Expedition 22 Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi will move a robotics workstation, which has served as a backup inside the Destiny laboratory, into the cupola.

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Crews Busy with Robotics and Hardware Relocation

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With a port swap of the International Space Station’s new cupola and Pressurized Mating Adapter 3 completed today, astronauts continued outfitting the new Tranquility module and its observation deck and prepared for a third spacewalk.

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The pressurized mating adapter was moved early in the crew’s day from its temporary position atop the Harmony node to the outboard end of Tranquility, where the cupola had been launched. Mission Specialists Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick operated the station’s Canadarm2 for the move, while station Commander Jeff Williams and Flight Engineer Soichi Noguchi dealt with latches and bolts, connecting the port to its new home at 9:28pm EST.

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Patrick and Behnken will hook up heater and data cables between the relocated adapter and Tranquility during the spacewalk that begins Tuesday evening. Today, the spacewalkers reviewed plans for the final planned spacewalk with Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson, the intravehicular officer, along with Space Shuttle Endeavour Commander George Zamka, Pilot Terry Virts and station Flight Engineer T.J. Creamer.

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The 6.5-hour spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 9:09pm. The spacewalkers will open the second of two ammonia loops to allow its coolant to flow through Tranquility and disconnect temporary power cables. They will remove insulation from the cupola’s seven windows and then release bolts that held the covers in place during launch, enabling astronauts to open the shutters from inside.

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All Info/Images taken from the NASA.gov website
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POST UPDATE:
Wednesday morning
3:12am EST
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* Spacewalk Complete *
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Behnken and Patrick Conclude Third Spacewalk
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Image above: The Cupola's window shutters open for the first time just before the end of the third STS-130 spacewalk.
Image credit: NASA TV
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Spacewalkers Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick completed a 5-hour, 48-minute spacewalk at 3:03am EST. The pair finished all their scheduled tasks.
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This was the last of three STS-130 spacewalks, the 233rd conducted by U.S. astronauts, the sixth for Behnken and the third for Patrick. It was the 140th in support of International Space Station assembly and maintenance, totaling 873 hours, 16 minutes.
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A Mission Status Briefing will air at 5:30am with STS-130 Lead Space Station Flight Director Bob Dempsey and STS-130 Lead Spacewalk Officer Art Thomason.
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Job well done and what a show it was tonight!
AubreyJ.........