The Third Space Walk of the NASA’s Crew

The crew of NASA’s space shuttle Atlantis is heading their second week of space travel. It is planned that two of the astronauts will undertake the mission of the third and final space walk.

During the spacewalks the crew will have to fulfill various physical tasks to the outside of the International Space Station, i.e. Atlantis has two reserve parts container known as the Express Logistics Carriers. With the help of the shuttle’s robotic arm, these two parts will be heaved into place and the spacewalkers will help tack on the ISS. The overall amount of spare parts is 27,250 pounds.

According to NASA, the astronauts would move oxygen filled High Pressure Gas Tank (HPGT) from the ELC2 that was on the starboard cluster to a site on the outside of the Quest Airlock. The tank will be used when spacewalkers enter and exit the station to supplement atmosphere lost. They will launch the seventh Materials International Space Station Experiment, or MISSE 7.

The MISSE is the first experiment that is installed on the ISS. The effects will be examined by NASA during a long period of time.

After the spacewalk will be completed the combined 12-member crew of Atlantis and the ISS will take their attention towards undocking the Atlantis.

Category: Science