Orbital crane operators Stephanie Wilson and Douglas Wheelock are carefully lifting a three-story solar power tower from the truss that it's been mounted to since delivery to the International Space Station seven years ago.
"Don't drop it," spacewalker Scott Parazynski said.
The two crane operators are inside the U.S. Destiny laboratory, controlling the Canadian-built station robot arm from laptop computer station in the American science research facility.
Over the next three days, the 17.5-ton solar power girder is to be moved to the far left end of the station's central truss.
On Monday, the $276 foot truss will be handed off to the shuttle's robot arm. Perched atop a mobile rail cart, the station crane will be rolled toward the end of the port side of the truss.
Then on Tuesday, the truss will be handed back to the station arm so it can be attached to its permanent home on the far left end of the outpost's central truss. Parazynski and Wheelock will provide a spacewalking assist.
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