[sarex] Solar Array Deploy Halted

[Arthur Rowe]

SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468

*Solar Array Deploy Halted
30 October 2007
*
Image Above: A view of P6 4B solar array wing. Image credit: NASA TV
TO VIEW IMAGE GO 
TO:http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html

Astronauts and ground controllers are looking at apparent damage to the 
P6 4B solar array spotted by the crew during deployment. NASA halted the 
deployment of the solar array wing to evaluate the damage. Deployment is 
about 75 percent complete with 25 of 31 bays deployed.

The crew has been asked to photograph the area on the solar array wing 
and downlink the images to the ground.

Meanwhile during post-spacewalk activities, Mission Specialist Doug 
Wheelock reported to the ground that he has noted a hole in one of his 
gloves. He is sending photos to the ground for assessment.

*Spacewalkers Complete Truss Installation, Inspect Joint*

Mission Specialists Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock helped install 
the P6 truss in its permanent location and inspected the port Solar 
Alpha Rotary Joint today during STS-120’s third spacewalk. The 7-hour, 
8-minute excursion wrapped up at 11:53 a.m. EDT.

Shortly after the spacewalk began, Parazynski and Wheelock went to work 
at the end of the port truss to help station robotic arm operators 
attach the P6 to its new location on P5. The two provided verbal cues to 
Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Dan Tani and Mission Specialist Stephanie 
Wilson as they aligned the truss. Once the 17.5 ton truss was in place, 
the spacewalkers secured it and attached its power source.

After completing the truss work, Parazynski inspected the port rotary 
joint and found no evidence of any debris. He described the joint's race 
rings as "nice and clean."

The spacewalkers also installed a spare main bus switching unit on a 
station storage platform.

Mission Specialist Paolo Nespoli coordinated today’s spacewalk 
activities. Pilot George Zamka was the shuttle robot arm operator.

STS-120’s fourth spacewalk to perform additional inspections of the 
starboard rotary joint will take place Thursday.

*Mission Information*
+ STS-120 Mission Overview 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts120/index.html>
+ Harmony Node 2 
<http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/behindscenes/harmony_payload.html>
+ Space Shuttle Discovery 
<http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/discovery-info.html>