NASA Plans Next Space Station Repair Spacewalk For Monday
HOUSTON -- The third spacewalk to restore full cooling capability to
the International Space Station is scheduled for Monday, Aug. 16.
Expedition 24 Flight Engineers Doug Wheelock and Tracy Caldwell Dyson
will venture outside to install a replacement pump and connect its
electrical and fluid lines. The two NASA astronauts conducted the
first two spacewalks to remove the failed ammonia pump from the
station's truss, or backbone.
The pump removed during Wednesday's spacewalk failed on July 31,
causing a loss of half of the station's cooling system. Since then,
the station has been operating normally while a second ammonia pump
provides cooling for electronics.
NASA Television coverage will begin Monday at 5 a.m. CDT. Wheelock and
Caldwell Dyson are scheduled to begin the spacewalk just before 6
a.m. Monday's spacewalk will be the sixth for Wheelock and the third
for Caldwell Dyson.
Approximately two hours after the conclusion of the spacewalk, NASA TV
will broadcast a briefing from NASA's Johnson Space Center in
Houston. The briefing participants will be Kirk Shireman,
International Space Station deputy program manager; Courtenay
McMillan, Expedition 24 spacewalk flight director; and David Beaver,
Expedition 24 spacewalk officer.
Reporters may ask questions from participating NASA locations, and
should contact their preferred NASA center to confirm participation.
Johnson's newsroom will be open for credentialed reporters to attend
the briefing. Johnson also will operate a telephone bridge for
reporters with valid media credentials issued by a NASA center.
Journalists planning to use the service must contact the Johnson
newsroom at 281-483-5111 no later than 15 minutes prior to the start
of the briefing. Phone bridge capacity is limited and will be
available on a first-come, first-served basis.
For NASA TV streaming video, schedules and downlink information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/ntv
For more information about the station and the Expedition 24 crew, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/station
Source: NASA