Spacewalking astronaut Douglas Wheelock is carrying out a precautionary inspection of Scott Parazynski's spacesuit after a small leak of toxic ammonia from coolant lines outside the International Space Station.
Parazynski was working with quick-disconnect lines that route ammonia from linking the P6 solar array truss with the Z1 truss atop the U.S. Unity module. The work is being done to prepare the P6 truss to be moved later this week to the left end of the station's central truss.
"If I took any hits, it would have been at chest level," Parazynski said. The leak spewed crystals that "look like just little tiny peices of ice or hail," he added.
Wheelock, however, did not see any telltale signs of ammonia crystals on his partner's suit -- no wavy substance or shiny ammonia snowflakes.
Flight controllers now will make sure Parazynski remains in the vaccuum environment long enough to "bake out" any contamination Wheelock might have missed. The idea is to make certain no toxic ammonia is carried back into shuttle Discovery or the international outpost.
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