[sarex] Astronauts Move Carts,

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*Astronauts Move Carts, Upgrade Communications System; Spacewalk Continues*

Flight Engineer Clay Anderson holds a Crew Equipment Translation Aid 
cartImage above: Expedition 15 Flight Engineer Clay Anderson holds a 
Crew Equipment Translation Aid cart as he rides on the end of the 
International Space Station's robotic arm during STS-118's third 
spacewalk. Image: NASA TV
TO VIEW IMAGE GO TO 
:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

Astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Clay Anderson are rolling through their 
scheduled activities as they work outside the International Space Station.

They continued preparations for the relocation of the Port 6 (P6) truss 
and its solar arrays by moving two Crew Equipment Translation Aid carts 
along the Integrated Truss Structure rail system. This will allow the 
station’s arm to perform the P6 relocation work during STS-120. The P6 
will be moved from atop the station to the end of the Port 5 truss.

Early in the spacewalk, the duo relocated an antenna from the Port 6 
(P6) to the Port 1 (P1) truss. In addition to the antenna relocation, 
the spacewalkers installed a new transponder and signal processor in an 
S-band communications system upgrade.

Before the excursion ends, Mastracchio and Anderson will retrieve two 
materials science experiments from the station’s exterior. The 
experiments were deployed in August 2006 and will be returned to Earth 
for analysis. Since the spacewalkers are ahead of the timeline, flight 
controllers may give them approval to tackle some get-ahead tasks.

Today’s spacewalk is Mastracchio’s third of the mission. Anderson, who 
arrived at the station in June, conducted his first spacewalk on July 23 
with Expedition 15 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin.

Mission Specialist Tracy Caldwell is the spacewalk coordinator and Pilot 
Charles Hobaugh is at the controls of the station’s robotic arm.

The spacewalk is slated to end at 5:07 p.m.

*Mission Management Team Update*

Mission managers have determined that damage to a small section of 
Endeavour’s heat shield poses no threat to crew safety or mission 
operations. However, they are discussing options for possible repair 
work that would ensure preparations on the ground for Endeavour’s next 
flight will go more smoothly. The damage occurred during the climb to 
orbit on Aug. 8.

+ View video of tile damage 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mov/186009main_STS118_Site1_Rev2.mov>