Rex Walheim waits to begin a spacewalk.
Schlegel and Walheim
Spacewalkers suited and resting
Assisted by ISS Commander Peggy Whitson and Atlantis Commander Steve Frick, spacewalkers Rex Walheim and Hans Schlegel suited up for a spacewalk to begin at 9:35 a.m. EST.
Frick and Whitson were so efficient that the spacewalkers were ready about 25 minues ahead of schedule.
"So take a nap," said Whitson.
"OK," replied Walheim.
They face one big task during the 6.5-hour spacewalk. The pair will install a nitrogen tank assembly on the P-1 truss and bring the old tank back to the payload bay for return to Earth. Mission Control has lined up several get ahead tasks if the pair finishes the tank installation early.
Schlegel missed a spacewalk Monday due a medical condition that NASA would not disclose.
We'll have live coverage here this morning. Stay tuned.
Click for interactive graphic on Columbus installation.
Click for STS-122 fact sheet.
Click for NASA-TV schedule, which details mission events.
The nitrogen tank assembly (NTA) sits in the payload bay beneath two European experiments, SOLAR and EUTEF. The spacewalkers will return the old tank to the payload bay.
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