Space Station Crew Fixes Jammed Antenna

Veteran Spacewalkers Cut Away Supply Ship Antenna, Which Had Been A Problem Since October

(CBS/AP)  Space station commander Michael Lopez-Alegria of the United States and Russian flight engineer Mikhail Tyurin fixed a balky problem at the international space station Thursday.

The spacewalk lasted 6 hours and 18 minutes, although the antenna problem was squared away fairly quickly.

That was the primary goal of the excursion, reports CBS News space consultant Bill Harwood: free up or cut away a navigation antenna on a Progress supply ship that failed to fully retract before the craft docked at the outpost in October. The antenna had been jammed against the Zvezda command module, and Russian engineers wanted to make sure it doesn't cause any problems when the Progress undocks in April.

The crew had success: Despite a fogged-up space helmet, Tyurin cut through one of four support struts to free the jammed antenna. After that, Tyurin and Lopez-Alegria manually pulled the antenna back away from the station and tied it in place, completing the primary objective of the spacewalk.

It was the 81st spacewalk devoted to station construction and maintenance since assembly began in 1998 and the Expedition 14 crew's fourth in less than a month. It was also the fifth and final spacewalk planned for the Expedition 14 crew.

Next up for the station crew is preparation for arrival of the shuttle Atlantis in March. Three shuttle spacewalks are planned during that mission to install a new set of solar arrays on the right side of the station's main power truss and to retract a solar wing that was part of the lab's initial power system.

Atlantis' crew flew to the Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday to review launch pad emergency procedures and to participate in a dress rehearsal countdown on Friday. Launch is targeted for March 15.

This excursion pushed the cumulative total for "extra-vehicular activities" to 498 hours and three minutes, says Harwood. The Expedition 14 crew's five spacewalks — three U.S. outings and two Russian — total 33 hours and 42 minutes. This was the 10th spacewalk for Lopez-Alegria, who holds the U.S. record and ranks second overall in total spacewalk experience with 67 hours and 40 minutes of EVA time. It was Tyurin's fifth spacewalk, for a total of 25 hours and 32 minutes. He now ranks 30th in spacewalk experience.

Flight engineer Sunita Williams, who joined Lopez-Alegria for three spacewalks earlier this year, monitored the work Thursday from inside the station.

"It's really, absolutely beautiful. Stunningly beautiful," one of the spacewalkers marveled.

Russian flight controllers wanted to make sure the antenna wouldn't cause any problems when the supply craft undocks in April.

Progress cargo ships regularly ferry supplies to the international space station. Shortly before a new cargo ship is launched, the old one — filled with garbage — is removed and dumped in the ocean to free the station's docking port.

Tyurin and Lopez-Alegria were unable to manually pull the antenna away, prompting the use of a NASA tool similar to garden shears. Tyurin made two cuts through a strut in the retraction drive mechanism, allowing the spacewalkers to pull the antenna back about six inches. They used wire ties to secure it before turning their attention to other planned tasks.

During Thursday's spacewalk, Tyurin had problems with his spacesuit's sublimator system, which helps provide cooling. He also reported helmet fogging.

"Misha, do you see this?" Lopez-Alegria asked at one point.

"I'm sorry, what Michael?"

"Do you see the (sublimator) snowflakes?"

"No, I don't see anything," Tyurin replied.

"Are you blind, Misha?"

"Yep, I don't see anything. I don't see space, I don't see the Earth, I just see the guide here."

Despite the problems, the spacewalkers were able to complete the antenna retraction and later, Tyurin reported the sublimator appeared to be working better with improved cooling.

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CBS News Space Consultant William Harwood has covered America's space program full time for nearly 20 years, focusing on space shuttle operations, planetary exploration and astronomy. Based at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Harwood provides up-to-the-minute space reports for CBS News and regularly contributes to Spaceflight Now and The Washington Post.