Making It Look Way Too Easy

Astronauts from space shuttle Atlantis successfully wrapped up construction work at the international space station, installing a massive girder and even accomplishing a few extra chores.

Monday's spacewalk by David Wolf and Piers Sellers - the third in just five days - drew high praise from those watching in Mission Control.

"You guys are doing a great job," Mission Control said as the spacewalk neared an end. "Our only concern is that you're making it look too easy for us."

Wolf and Sellers finished hooking up the $390 million girder that arrived with them aboard Atlantis last week.

They hooked up the last of the ammonia lines for the elaborate air conditioning system that came with the girder. The men also attached 10 pressure-relief clamps to the coolant lines, three more than they were assigned.

To NASA's delight, the astronauts managed to retract a stuck bolt in some of the equipment that was installed last spring.

The spacewalk lasted the allotted 6 1/2 hours, putting the men's total time outside during the flight at almost 20 hours.

On a scale from one to 10, Mission Control's lead spacewalk officer, Oscar Koehler, said his overall satisfaction rated an 11. "You couldn't have expected it to go as well as it did," he said.

NASA gave the two space crews the morning off Tuesday to recuperate.

Earlier Monday, the six shuttle astronauts and the three fliers aboard the space station enjoyed a close-up view of the unfolding of one of the three radiators on the new girder.

As soon as the radiator reached its full 75 feet (22.5 meters) in length, the shuttle crew played a recording of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus."

"That's very appropriate music," Mission Control said.

The middle radiator was supposed to be extended by flight controllers Sunday, but the operation was delayed because of a minor electrical problem. The two other radiators will not be opened until next year; the heat-shedding system will not be made active until then.

Atlantis and its crew will leave the space station on Wednesday and return to Earth on Friday. The three station residents have another month before coming home.

By Marcia Dunn By Marcia Dunn