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Discovery astronauts begin space walk

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-03-20 11:11

WASHINGTON – Two astronauts from the shuttle Discovery exited the International Space Station Thursday over the Pacific and began the first of three space walks of the 13-day mission, NASA's television commentator said.

This NASA video image shows Space shuttle Discovery Mission Specialist Steve Swanson seen outside of the International Space Station. Two astronauts from the shuttle Discovery exited the International Space Station Thursday and began the first of three space walks, NASA's television commentator said. [Agencies]

Related readings:  Shuttle Discovery arrives at space station  Delay results in 'most beautiful' Discovery launch  US space shuttle Discovery lifts off

Steve Swanson and Richard Arnold emerged from the decompression chamber aboard the space station at 1716 GMT, floating 212 miles (354 kilometers) over the Pacific near New Guinea.

Their first task was to bolt a girder onto the space station's structure. Known as S6, the girder holds a pair of panels that will form the orbiting outpost's fourth and last solar antenna.

The 14-ton piece was carried into space by Discovery, which was launched Sunday from Florida. The orbiter's robotic arm was used to lift it out of the shuttle's bay.

The solar panels, which measure 35 meters (yards) by 11.58 meters (yards) when deployed, contain 32,800 cells that convert the light of the sun into electricity.

They will provide the power the space station needs to carry out scientific experiments programmed by the European Columbus laboratory and the Japanese Kibo laboratory.

Once Swanson and Arnold finish bolting on S6, they will make the electrical and climatization connections necessary to activate the antenna.

The space walk was expected to last six and a half hours.

NASA dropped a fourth space walk from the mission schedule and shortened the shuttle flight by a day to 13 days after Discovery's launch was pushed back from March 11 to 15.

The delay was due to the discovery of a hydrogen leak from the fueling system for the external fuel tank just hours before the March 11 launch.

In all, NASA has scheduled nine shuttle flights through 2010 to complete the construction of the space station, a 100-billion-dollar project backed by 16 countries.

Upcoming shuttle flights also include the last mission to service the orbiting Hubble telescope in May.