Second Spacewalk Starts Early

Spacewalkers Rick Mastracchio and Clay Anderson switched their spacesuits to battery power at 1:30 a.m. EDT, signifying the start of the mission’s second outing. Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger is the Intravehicular crew member, overseeing the procedures and interfacing between the spacewalkers and flight controllers in Mission Control. Stephanie Wilson and Jim Dutton are at the controls of the space station’s robotic arm, moving two bulky Ammonia Tank Assemblies (ATA) that are the focus of today’s spacewalk.

A new ATA, fully filled with ammonia, will be installed on the station’s starboard truss and a depleted ATA will be readied for a return ride to Earth.