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Spacewalker Mike Fossum, upper right, dangles from the tip of the International Space Station's
robot arm. Earlier Fossum transferred a robotic satellite refueling demonstrator from the shuttle
Atlantis to DEXTRE, Canada's two armed robotic handyman. DEXTRE is pictured center left
anchored outside the space station.
Photo Credit/NASA TV
International Space Station astronauts Mike Fossum and Ron Garan are in the home stretch of a demanding spacewalk that got under way early Tuesday.
They wrapped up the second high priority task, the installation of a robotic satellite refueling demonstrator on the space station, shortly before 1 p.m., EDT.
Developed by the Goddard Space Flight Center, the demonstrator was launched aboard the shuttle Atlantis, which has been parked at the space station since Sunday.
The spacewalkers placed the demonstrator on DEXTRE, Canada’s two armed robotic handyman.
Earlier, Fossum and Garan transferred a failed station thermal control system coolant pump to the shuttle’s cargo bay.
The bulky pump will be returned to Earth aboard Atlantis to under go a failure analysis.
Tuesday's excursion began at 9:44 a.m., EDT, about 30 minutes late.
However, Fossum and Garan, who teamed for three spacewalks in 2008, quickly made up the time.
The spacewalk is scheduled to conclude around 4 p.m. EDT.