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International Space Station Commander
Peggy Whitson floats cross-legged in the Harmony module of the station
during preparation for the opening of the hatches between the two
spacecraft in this image from NASA TV March 12, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters
Photo)
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WASHINGTON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Two astronauts at the
International Space Station kicked off the first of a series of spacewalks to
assemble new components for the orbital outpost, NASA TV reported Thursday.
The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour's crew member Rick
Linnehan and Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Garrett Reisman stepped out of the
station at 9:18 p.m. EDT on Thursday (0118 GMT on Friday). The excursion will
last for about six hours and a half.
Their primary goal is to prepare the first component
of Japan's new orbital laboratory Kibo to be installed outside of the station
early Friday morning. They will move the component from the shuttle's payload
bay to its place on the station.
In addition, the duo will begin the assembling work
for the Canadian-built robot Dextre.
Early on Wednesday, a power glitch popped up,
preventing power from being routed to the Dextre system. However, NASA mission
control center on the ground decided to press ahead the first spacewalk.
LeRoy Cain, chair of NASA's mission management team,
said during an afternoon briefing that the power-providing issue with the robot
will have no significant impact to spacewalk.
"This is a problem we don't need a solution for right
this houror this day," Cain said, noting that heaters that are supposed to keep
Dextre warm outside of the space station can remain unpowered for several days
without consequence.
The software used to regulate power to a pallet
containing Dextre might be to blame, according to Cain. A new version of the
software with the patch to fix the problem is anticipated to be beamed up to the
station within 24 hours, he said.
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Spacewalker Rick Linnehan(L) and Garrett Reisman(R) work near the Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, known as "Dextre" during a spacewalk in this view from NASA TV March 14, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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Spacewalker Rick Linnehan removes a protective cover from the new Japanese module stored in Endeavour's payload during a spacewalk in this view from NASA TV March 13, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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International Space Station Commander Peggy Whitson floats cross-legged in the Harmony module of the station during preparation for the opening of the hatches between the two spacecraft in this image from NASA TV March 12, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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Spacewalker Rick Linnehan(L) and Garrett Reisman(R) work near the Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, known as 'Dextre' during a spacewalk in this view from NASA TV March 14, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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Spacewalker Rick Linnehan works near the pallet where the Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, known as "Dextre" is stored during a spacewalk in this view from NASA TV March 14, 2008. Dextre will be capable of handling delicate assembly tasks currently performed by spacewalking astronauts when fully operational.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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The space shuttle Endeavour stands atop
launch pad 39A as final preparations are made for launch at the Kennedy
Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, March 10, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters
Photo)
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U.S. space shuttle Endeavour lifts
off
WASHINGTON, March 11
(Xinhua)-- The U.S. space shuttle Endeavour lifted off at 2:28 a.m. EDT (0628
GMT) Tuesday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA TV reported.
During the rare nighttime launch, the shuttle rocketed
into the night sky and lit the predawn sky ablaze, bringing an "artificial
sunrise." It is the second shuttle launch in darkness since the 2003 Columbia
disaster. Full story
Endeavour poised for rare nighttime
launch
BEIJING, March 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Space shuttle Endeavour
was poised for a rare nighttime liftoff Tuesday from the Kennedy Space Center to
the international space station, U.S. media reported.
Technicians at the center began fueling the shuttle late
Monday afternoon with more than 500,000 gallons (1.9 million liters) of
supercold liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen for the 2:28 a.m. EDT blast off as
there were no major problems reported. Full story
Endeavour to lift off Tuesday with Japanese
module
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The space shuttle Endeavour returns to
the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida Aug. 21, 2007.
(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhuanet) -- The space shuttle Endeavour is scheduled for
launch early Tuesday to carry the first of three modules that will become
Japan's orbiting laboratory in the International Space Station, according to
media reports Monday.
Liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida is
scheduled for 2:28 a.m. EDT.
The mission marks a fresh chapter in Japan's human
spaceflight effort. Full story
Space shuttle Endeavour to launch on
March 11
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The crew of the space shuttle Endeavour
STS-123 (L to R) commander Dominic Gorie, mission specialist Garrett
Reisman, pilot Gregory H. Johnson, mission specialist's Robert Behnken,
Mike Foreman, Takao Doi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and Rick
Linnehan assemble for a photo near launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center
in Cape Canaveral, Florida Feb. 24, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo)
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BEIJING, March 2 (Xinhuanet) -- NASA confirmed the U.S.
space shuttle Endeavour will launch on March 11 for a 16-day mission, according
to media reports Sunday.
The NASA mission management on Friday confirmed the
official launch time of the Endeavour. On March 11 at 2:28 a.m. EDT, the space
shuttle will be launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Full story
