DATE=12/13/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-242902
TITLE=SHUTTLE / SPACEWALK (L)
BYLINE=DAVID MCALARY
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
INTRO: TWO U-S ASTRONAUTS HAVE COMPLETED THE LAST OF THREE
SPACEWALKS OUTSIDE THE SHUTTLE "ENDEAVOUR" -- PREPARING THE NEW
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE NEXT
CONSTRUCTION CREW IN MAY. V-O-A SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT DAVID
MCALARY REPORTS, WITH ENDEAVOUR'S TIME ATTACHED TO THE STATION
NEARING AN END, U-S SPACE AGENCY OFFICIALS SAY VIRTUALLY ALL OF
THE GOALS OF THIS ASSEMBLY MISSION HAVE BEEN MET.
TEXT: ONCE AGAIN, ASTRONAUTS JIM NEWMAN AND JERRY ROSS WERE
UP, DOWN, AND ALL AROUND THE TWO SECTIONS OF THE STATION,
CONSISTING OF THE U-S "UNITY" AND RUSSIAN "ZARYA" MODULES.
BECAUSE ALL ESSENTIAL SPACEWALKING WORK OF THIS MISSION WAS
COMPLETED EARLIER IN THE WEEK, NASA'S LEAD SPACEWALK OFFICER --
SCOTT BLEISATH ['BLY-SATH] -- SAYS THEY PERFORMED JOBS THAT PUT
CONSTRUCTION AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.
// BLEISATH ACTUALITY //
THE MAIN PURPOSE FOR TODAY'S SPACEWALK WAS TO PREPARE
THE EXTERIOR OF THE SPACE STATION FOR FUTURE MISSIONS,
FOR FUTURE SPACEWALKS. WE DELIVERED A LARGE TOOL BAG,
STRAPPED IT DOWN TO THE TOP OF THE "UNITY MODULE." THIS
BAG CONTAINED A COUPLE OF DOZEN DIFFERENT SPACEWALKING
TOOLS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE CREWS.
// END ACTUALITY //
WITH PRECISION AND ON SCHEDULE, THE TWO CREWMEN ALSO UNPLUGGED
POWER CABLES USED IN THE DOCKING OF UNITY TO ZARYA; INSTALLED
HANDRAILS ON THE RUSSIAN MODULE TO HELP FUTURE SPACEWALKERS MOVE
ABOUT; AND PHOTOGRAPHED THE EXTERIOR OF THE STATION FOR
ENGINEERING REFERENCE.
// OPT // JERRY ROSS -- LOOKING LIKE A SPACE TOURIST -- TOLD
SHUTTLE COMMANDER BOB CABANA HANDLING THE CAMERA WAS DIFFICULT,
WITH HIS BULKY SPACESUIT GLOVES.
// OPT ROSS - CABANA ACTUALITY //
[ROSS:] I'M TRYING TO FOCUS THIS CAMERA WITH GLOVES ON.
GREAT. OKAY, I'M READY TO GO.
[CABANA:] DO YOU NEED TO BE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE
STRUCTURE?
[ROSS:] NO, THIS WILL BE OKAY.
[CABANA:] IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD SHOT, JERRY.
// END OPTIONAL ACTUALITY //
LATER, COMMANDER CABANA DIRECTED MR. ROSS AS HE TESTED A JET
BACKPACK FUTURE STATION SPACEWALKERS WOULD USE TO RESCUE
THEMSELVES IF THEIR TETHERS WERE TO BREAK AND LEAVE THEM STRANDED
IN SPACE.
// ROSS - CABANA ACT //
[ROSS:] LET ME SEE -- A LEFT [TURN].
[CABANA:] YEAH, WE SEE YOU DRIFTING STARBOARD PRETTY
WELL. WHY DON'T YOU COME LEFT AND SQUARE IT AWAY?
[ROSS:] I'M COMING FORWARD A LITTLE BIT AND I'M GOING
TO GO LEFT.
[CABANA:] ROGER, THAT [UNDERSTOOD].
// END ACT //
ASTRONAUT ROSS ALSO SUCCESSFULLY FREED THE SECOND OF TWO ANTENNAS
THAT FAILED TO UNFURL COMPLETELY ON ZARYA AFTER ITS LAUNCH LAST
MONTH. THIS WAS A CONTINGENCY TASK ADDED TO THE LIST ONLY AFTER
THE SHUTTLE HAD JOINED THE U-S AND RUSSIAN SECTIONS ONE WEEK AGO.
// OPT // MR. BLEISATH SAYS MR. ROSS USED THE SAME LONG RUSSIAN
HOOKED POLE BOTH TIMES.
// OPTIONAL BLEISATH ACTUALITY //
THE ANTENNA TODAY REQUIRED A LITTLE BIT MORE POKING AND
PRODDING THAN A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, BUT -- JUST AS WE
SAW THEN -- THE ANTENNA EVENTUALLY DID DEPLOY.
// END ACTUALITY //
// OPT // WITH THE FINAL SPACEWALK OVER, FLIGHT DIRECTOR CASTLE
SAYS THE STATION CONSTRUCTION TASKS PLANNED FOR THIS MISSION ARE
NEARLY COMPLETE.
// OPTIONAL CASTLE ACTUALITY //
I'M VERY, VERY, VERY GRATIFIED TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT
ESSENTIALLY ALL OF THE ASSEMBLY TASKS ARE DONE. THERE
ARE STILL A FEW MORE THINGS TO DO ON THIS MISSION, AND
THE MISSION ITSELF CERTAINLY ISN'T OVER. BUT AS FAR AS
PUTTING TOGETHER THE FIRST ELEMENTS ON THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION, WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE TO DONE.
// END OPTIONAL ACTUALITY //
THE NEXT MAJOR MANEUVER COMES LATER TODAY [3:25 PM EST, SUN.,
12/13] WHEN ENDEAVOUR UNDOCKS FROM THE FLEDGLING SEVEN-STORY
STATION AND LEAVES IT VACANT IN ORBIT FOR FIVE MONTHS. THE
SHUTTLE IS TO RETURN TO EARTH EARLY WEDNESDAY, UNIVERSAL TIME,
[10:56 P.M. EST TUES., 12/15]. (SIGNED)
NEB / DEM / WD
13-Dec-98 1:01 AM EST (0601 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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