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Spacewalkers deploy solar array mast canisters BY WILLIAM HARWOOD STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS "SPACE PLACE" & USED WITH PERMISSION Posted: March 19, 2009 Spacewalkers Steven Swanson and Richard Arnold attached the S6 solar array truss segment to the international space station today, plugged in power and data cables, unlocked a set of radiator panels and coaxed two mast canisters and blanket boxes into position for array deployment Friday. They had to apply a bit of elbow grease to get the mast canisters and their beta gimbal assemblies rotated into position and in one case, only three of four support masts could be locked in place. But that was sufficient and mission control told the astronauts to press on. "We can confirm that we have the other three confirmed locked," astronaut Joseph Acaba radioed from inside Discovery. "So we show ourselves in a good config." "We did copy all of that discussion," replied Lucia McCullough from Houston. "We are good to proceed." Swanson and Arnold then rotated solar array blanket boxes into position for deployment, removed thermal covers from electrical components and jettisoned them overboard as planned. Before wrapping up the excursion, Swanson asked to double-check the unlatched support bar and to take pictures if he was unable to coax it into its final position. "I tried to pull that pin out," he reported. "It did not move. I tried to get a little leverage on it and I still could not get it to move. And so it seems to be just kind of stuck in a halfway spot." Flight controllers re-confirmed the array canister was firmly supported with three locked bars and the astronauts began collecting their tools before heading back to the airlock. The final task on today's agenda was deployment of a folded set of radiator panels the spacewalkers unlatched earlier. The radiator appeared to unfold normally. Swanson and Arnold began repressurizing the space station's Quest airlock module at 7:23 p.m. EDT, officially ending the successful spacewalk. "Swanee and Ricky, you guys just did a fantastic job today. Right now, we're looking at about six hours, so it was really good work," Acaba radioed. "And Houston, thanks for all your support. Couldn't have done it without you." "Hey, we just echoed that," McCullough called from mission control. "That was outstanding. For you and the rest of the combined crew, we're delighted to accept delivery and installation of the S6 truss." Said space station commander MIke Fincke: "I just wanted to say welcome back aboard the space station. It's a lot bigger than when you left it. Great job out there. You guys were outstanding. Thanks for the hard work." Today's spacewalk began at 1:16 p.m. and ran six hours and seven minutes, ending 23 minutes ahead of schedule. This was the 121st spacewalk devoted to station assembly and maintenance, the second so far this year and the first of three planned by Discovery's crew. Total EVA construction time now stands at 762 hours and three minutes, or nearly 32 days.
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VIDEO:
WALKTHROUGH OF SPACEWALK NO. 1 PLAN 