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Spacewalk delayed
A L S O : International teams to search for Russian probe's power unit Astronauts can't open hatch between air lock and cargo bay
November 28, 1996
Web posted at: 10:30 p.m. ESTHOUSTON (CNN) -- Two astronauts ready for a spacewalk from space shuttle Columbia have been delayed because they can't open a hatch to leave the ship.
Astronauts Tammy Jernigan and Tom Jones were supposed to open the hatch leading to the shuttle's cargo bay at about 9:20 p.m. EST (0220 GMT) but could not turn the handle that unlatches the 40-inch (101 cm) diameter door.
Tense sounding controllers in Houston are offering suggestions to the astronauts, but so far nothing is working.
The astronauts had planned to eat their Thanksgiving dinner after their six and one-half-hour spacewalk.
The walk is the latest in a series to test tools and simulate construction techniques in preparation for building the NASA-led, 13-nation space station.
"Of all the space station assembly missions coming up, probably more than 80 percent of them" require space walks, Jones said. "They're going to depend on these concepts that we think we've gotten right, but we've got to prove."
If they manage to open the hatch, Jones and Jernigan will venture into the shuttle's 60-foot-long cargo bay, where they will practice moving large space station batteries with an 18-foot long crane.
The telescoping crane is operated with three hand-turned cranks; they will use it to move and put into position a simulated battery.
The task is important because in March 1999, another space shuttle mission will use the telescoping crane to move four 586-pound batteries and two equally large devices to charge and discharge the batteries. Although objects in space are referred to as "weightless," they still have mass, and once they get moving they can be difficult to stop.
The astronauts will also test a drill-like power tool, a foot restraint and other gear.
Jernigan and Jones will make another spacewalk Saturday night. The shuttle mission is scheduled to return to Earth on December 5.
NASA estimates about 80 American space walks, totaling more than 630 hours, will be needed over the five-year construction effort, scheduled to begin late next year. Russian cosmonauts will add about 30 spacewalks outside the international space station, Mir, to the effort.
By comparison, U.S. astronauts have made only 33 spacewalks, totaling about 400 hours, in the last 15 years of the space shuttle program.
By the way -- curious about the menu for tonight's late meal? The five-person crew will be dining on irradiated turkey steaks, stuffing, cranberry sauce and pumpkin-colored frosted cakes.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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Related stories:
- Columbia sets off on 16-day flight - Novmber 19, 1996
- Columbia flight will test space station equipment - November 19, 1996
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- NASA - Shuttle Web
- Boeing - International Space Station Site
- NASA - International Space Station
- NASA
- NASA Shuttle Web
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