[sarex] STS-118 Astronauts to Go Spacewalking Today

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*STS-118 Astronauts to Go Spacewalking Today *
Image above: The International Space Station's robotic arm moves the S5 
truss. Image: NASA TV
TO VIEW IMAGE GO 
TO:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

The STS-118 and Expedition 15 crews are preparing for today’s spacewalk 
to install the Starboard 5 (S5) truss onto the International Space 
Station. STS-118 Mission Specialists Rick Mastracchio and Dave Williams 
are slated to begin their orbital stroll at 12:31 p.m. EDT.(1631 UTC)

The S5 will be attached to the Starboard 4 segment about 1:56 p.m. with 
the spacewalking duo guiding station robot arm operator Charles Hobaugh, 
STS-118’s pilot, as he moves the S5 to the attachment point. The 
spacewalkers will then bolt it into place and make power and data 
connections.

The other major task during the spacewalk is the retraction of a 
radiator on the Port 6 (P6) truss. After the radiator is folded, 
Mastracchio and Williams will secure it. The P6 will be relocated from 
atop the station to the end of the Port 5 truss during a future mission.

The excursion is scheduled to last 6.5 hours. Mission Specialist Tracy 
Caldwell is the spacewalk coordinator, and Expedition 15 Flight Engineer 
Clay Anderson is assisting Hobaugh at the controls of the station’s 
Canadian-built robotic arm.

Meanwhile, the Station-to-Shuttle Power Transfer System, which was 
activated after Friday’s docking, will be shut down during the 
spacewalk. The transfer system may allow Space Shuttle Endeavour and the 
STS-118 crew to stay at the station longer. A decision on a possible 
mission extension is expected to be made Sunday.

Animations: + S5 Truss Overview 
<javascript:watchNASAOnDemandTV('http://mfile.akamai.com/18566/wmv/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/wm.nasa-global/STS-118/S5_OV.asx')> 
| + S5 Truss Installation 
<javascript:watchNASAOnDemandTV('http://mfile.akamai.com/18566/wmv/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/wm.nasa-global/STS-118/S5_Install.asx')> 


*Mission Information*
+ View Barbara Morgan Video 
<javascript:watchNASAOnDemandTV('','http://mfile.akamai.com/18565/rm/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/real.nasa-global/sts-118/STS118_Morgan.ram','http://mfile.akamai.com/18566/wmv/etouchsyst2.download.akamai.com/18355/wm.nasa-global/STS-118/STS118_Morgan.asx')>
+ STS-118 Mission Overview 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts118/index.html>
+ STS-118 Fact Sheet (900 Kb PDF) 
<http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/184910main_sts118_factsheet4.pdf>
+ STS-118 NASA TV Schedule 
<http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/mission_schedule.html>
+ STS-118 Briefing Animations 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts118/multimedia/sts118_anim_07102007.html>
+ STS-117 Mission Archive 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts117/main/index.html>