Spacewalkers Joe Tanner and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper are working hard outside the International Space Station, and flight controllers just beamed up word that a focused inspection of shuttle Atlantis' heat shield will not be required.
"Oh wow," Piper said.
"That's wonderful. It also means we have a good vehicle," Tanner said.
"Yes we do," crewmate Dan Burbank replied from inside the shuttle's crew cabin.
The news clears the way for back-to-back spacewalks. Burbank and Canadian astronaut Steve MacLean will be heading outside the shuttle-station complex Wednesday to continue prepping the newly installed truss for orbital operations. The excursion would have been pushed back a day if mission managers had decided a focused inspection of the shuttle's heat shield was required.
Piper is finishing up work with the solar array blanket boxes at the end of the truss. Tanner is releasing launch restraints on gimbal assemblies that serve as a structural link between the truss and its two massive solar wings.
The work is proceeding without a hitch.
IMAGE NOTE: Click to enlarge the Associated Press screen grab from NASA TV. It shows spacewalkers Joe Tanner and Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper working on a newly installed International Space Station truss segment.
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