Of Space Shuttle Discovery STS-128
On NASA TELEVISION
Post Date: Tuesday morning, September 01, 2009
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1st of 3 Scheduled Spacewalks set for Tuesday evening
About above image: STS-128 Mission Specialist Danny Olivas works with a spacesuit on the middeck of the Space Shuttle Discovery.
Image Credit: NASA
Astronauts Enter Leonardo, Prepare for First Spacewalk
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Mission Specialist Christer Fuglesang and Flight Engineer Frank DeWinne, both of the European Space Agency, became the first crew members to venture inside the newly installed Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. The shuttle and station astronauts prepared the cargo module for several days of transfer work.
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Flight Engineer Nicole Stott and Mission Specialist Danny Olivas are spending the night inside the Quest airlock at a lower air pressure to force nitrogen out their bloodstream. This prevents astronauts from getting decompression sickness during a spacewalk. Stott and Olivas are set to begin the first STS-128 Spacewalk Tuesday at 5:49pm EDT..
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Crew Begins First Spacewalk of STS-128
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Mission Specialist Danny Olivas and Expedition 20 Flight Engineer Nicole Stott ventured out the station door at 5:49pm EDT to remove an Ammonia Tank Assembly from the station’s truss.
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During the spacewalk, Shuttle Commander Rick Sturckow and Mission Specialist Pat Forrester will guide the spacewalkers through the procedures. Pilot Kevin Ford and Flight Engineer Bob Thirsk will operate the station’s robotic arm.
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Meanwhile, mission specialists Jose Hernandez, Tim Kopra and Christer Fuglesang and Flight Engineer Mike Barratt will continue unloading the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module. The crew got a head-start on unpacking yesterday, and plans to transfer an air revitalization system, a new crew quarters compartment and the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (COLBERT).
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Post Update:
11:20pm EDT
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Besides for a temporary loss of communication with Mission Control earlier, the spacewalkers are still on their normal timeline performing their planned tasks... With just under 6 hrs into tonight’s spacewalk, everything seems to be moving very smoothly.
About above image: Spacewalker Nicole Stott works outside the International Space Station during the first spacewalk of the STS-128 mission.
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It’s GREAT to see a woman out there doing a Spacewalk Mission.
You GO NICHOLE!!!
Great work you’re doing out there too...
AJF
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Post Update:
12:40am EDT
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Tuesday’s Spacewalk has now concluded.
It lasted for 6 hrs 35 minutes and it officially ended at 12:24am EDT. NASA is reporting that all goals for this Spacewalk were met and that the overall Spacewalk was a success!
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* This Post Now Closed *
Note: I’ll start a new post before the 2nd Spacewalk starts on Thursday.
But for now... You can keep up with the latest at the links below...
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Watch Spacewalks/Mission LIVE
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AubreyJ.........
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