Spacewalkers Continue Work on Station Exterior

Astronaut Mike Fincke has finished applying lubrication beneath the covers 9, 13, 16 and 17. He has rejoined Drew Feustel to finish putting the port cooling loops back into their original configuration. While they are doing the jumper cleanup work, flight controllers on the ground in Houston will rotate the solar alpha rotary joint 200 degrees to spread the grease. That rotation will take about an hour, giving Fincke time to install two radiator grapple bar stowage beams on the S1 segment of the station’s truss. The beams will be used to store handles that would be necessary if a radiator ever needed to be replaced.

Meanwhile, Feustel will get into place for his work with the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, or Dextre. The station’s robotic arm will bring Dextre to Feustel so he can install a cover on one of the robot’s cameras and lubricate the snares that allow the robot to grab equipment.

By the time those tasks are finished, the port solar alpha rotary joint should be in place for its second round of lubrication. Feustel and Fincke will work together on the task this time.