Mon, Aug 16, 2010
Third Spacewalk Finishes Installation Of Spare Ammonia
Pump
Flight Engineers Doug Wheelock and Tracy Caldwell Dyson
completed the third contingency spacewalk to install a spare
ammonia pump module on the S1 Truss at 1340 EDT Monday. Flight
Engineer Shannon Walker assisted the spacewalkers from inside the
International Space Station and operated the Canadarm2.
NASA Image
The 780-pound spare pump module was removed from an external
stowage platform by Wheelock while working from the Canadarm2. The
module was successfully installed on the S1 Truss after Wheelock
attached four bolts and Caldwell Dyson mated five electrical
connectors.
Ground controllers confirmed the module was in healthy condition
when it began receiving power. After a pressure check and more
fluid cable connections, the module was filled with ammonia.
Wheelock and Caldwell Dyson were outside during the third repair
spacewalk for 7 hours, 20 minutes. On Wednesday they were outside
during the second spacewalk for 7 hours, 26 minutes. The first
repair spacewalk took place Aug. 7 and lasted a record 8 hours, 3
minutes.
After the original pump module failed July 31 ground controllers
powered down numerous station systems and readjusted them to
provide maximum redundancy. Mission managers and astronauts on the
ground also quickly began choreographing the contingency spacewalks
and planning repair procedures. The spacewalks were planned several
days apart to give crew members time to rest and managers on the
ground time to review data and make necessary adjustments.
The spare ammonia pump installed was delivered aboard space
shuttle Discovery and stowed on an external stowage platform in
July 2006. STS-121 Mission Specialists Piers Sellers and Mike
Fossum performed the transfer work during a 6-hour, 47-minute
spacewalk.
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