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| S P E C I A L | CNN In-Depth: - Space |
Astronauts get OK for second spacewalk
Harbaugh Latest developments:
December 1, 1997
- Walk set for 3 a.m. Wednesday
- Astronauts 'eager' to go again
- Crane crucial to space station
- Related sites and stories
Web posted at: 8:38 p.m. EST (0138 GMT)CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (CNN) -- Two astronauts aboard the shuttle Columbia will take a second walk in space Wednesday morning to complete tests on tools that will be used next year when work begins on an international space station.
"If we don't take advantage of the opportunity here, the next time we do it we'll be doing it for real," said Gregory Harbaugh, NASA's acting chief of spacewalk projects.
The spacewalk, the second for the current shuttle mission, is expected to start about 3 a.m. Wednesday and last about five hours. Although the walk was not originally scheduled, the shuttle is still expected to land Friday morning as planned.
Harbaugh explains the importance of the spacewalk 
271K/24 sec. AIFF or WAV sound Some of the tests were to have been made during last week's spacewalk, but astronauts Winston Scott and Takao Doi spent nearly half of that 7 1/2-hour walk retrieving and stowing an errant satellite.
NASA officials said that among the factors considered were the risk and whether there was enough time to allow for the extra work. Lee Briscoe, the mission operation representative, said other experiments were done earlier in the mission, providing the time needed for Wednesday's spacewalk.
Astronauts 'eager' to go again
Harbaugh also acknowledged that it was unusual for Doi, who became the first Japanese to walk in space only a week ago, to take a second walk so soon.
"Yeah, it's pretty unusual," said Harbaugh, "but we anticipate that anybody we sign up can do what we send them to do."
NASA says it needs all the spacewalking experience it can get before attempting to build the space station, which Harbaugh called "a gigantic undertaking."
The station will be nearly as long -- and considerably wider -- than a football field, and will weigh 1 million pounds. It is expected to take more than 1,000 hours of spacewalks and five years in all to build the $60 billion station.
Harbaugh said that NASA officials consulted with Scott and Cmdr. Kevin Kregel before the second walk was approved. Harbaugh said both were "eager" to do it.
Scott and Doi retrieve Spartan during last week's spacewalk "It sure would be nice to take advantage of being up here now with guys who have already worked with the equipment before we have to do it on (the) station," Kregel said later.
During their November 24 spacewalk, Scott and Doi had some difficulties getting a 17 1/2-foot crane to latch onto boxes, and did not get a chance to try to lift a small object with the crane.
Crane crucial to space station
Most of the second spacewalk will be devoted to trying four techniques involving the crane. It is of particular importance, Harbaugh said, because the crane or others like it will be used extensively on the space station.
"It is fundamental to the success of the station," Harbaugh said. "It's important to feel confident about the assembly and maintenance of the system and that we know how it operates."
The lack of time on the first spacewalk also prevented Scott and Doi from trying out a free-flying robotic camera that resembles an oversized soccer ball and will also be used on the station. It, too, will be tested Wednesday.
Scott and Doi spent much of the first walk retrieving the $10 million Spartan science satellite, which failed to respond to a computer command when it was released on November 21. In attempting to recapture it, the shuttle's robotic arm bumped the satellite, sending it into a tumbling spin. The astronauts were forced to wait three days before recovering it.
Related stories:
- NASA decides not to send satellite back into orbit - November 30, 1997
- NASA ponders whether to try again with satellite - November 28, 1997
- Custom News: Astronaut tells of life on Mir in wry e-mail home - November 27, 1997
- Shuttle saves fuel in hope of saving solar mission - November 26, 1997
- Astronauts retrieve errant satellite - November 25, 1997
- Mir gets an upgrade - November 6, 1997
- Cosmonauts back in space to replace Mir solar panel - November 5, 1997
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