In this spacewalk, they performed operations that were originally planned for the third spacewalk, in which the heat protection system of the space shuttle Atlantis was repaired.
The Atlantis crew on mission STS-117 completed their fourth spacewalk tonight. The operation was completed at 18:54 EST (01:54 our time) and lasted six hours and 29 minutes. Patrick Forrester and Steven Swanson performed several tasks designed to operate the station's new corridor component and completed work that will assist future spacewalkers.
Attention is now devoted to Atlantis leaving the station expected for Monday at 18:23 EST (01:23 Tuesday morning Israel time). Atlantis is scheduled to land on Tuesday at 10:42 a.m. Florida time (17:42 p.m. EDT). As usual, we'll cover the landing.
The astronauts on the space station began their fourth and final spacewalk
17/6/07 23:00
Astronauts Patrick Forrester and Steven Swanson began their spacewalk at 12:25 p.m. (19:25 p.m. our time) on the fourth and final spacewalk of mission STS-117. Outside they are scheduled to handle a number of tasks including preparing the station's new component for operation. The astronauts installed the S3/S4 corridor on June 11. The two will prepare the rotating solar collector on the new component for operation. The motor will allow the solar collector to follow the sun.
The two will also verify the installation of one of two mechanisms that will drive the rotation of the collector and remove the launch harnesses on the power generation system. Additional tasks in the new component include removing pins and connecting a contact, as well as installing a camera. They will also install the computer network cables in the Unity component and remove the GPS antenna. The two will also complete the system that will protect Destiny Lab from micro meteorites. Today's activity is the 88th spacewalk intended for the assembly and maintenance of the International Space Station.
