The Discovery crew got a few extra minutes of sleep this morning after Houston's Mission Control Center delayed the daily wake-up routine to wait for a solid communications link.The center then piped in "In a little While" by Pilgrim & Trout for astronaut Richard Arnold. Arnold thanked his wife, Eloise, and two daughters for choosing the song.
Today, the crew is preparing for the second spacewalk of the 13-day mission.
Former Melbourne High science teacher Joe Acaba, who taught freshmen science on the Space Coast in 1999-2000, will join the shuttle's lead spacewalker, Steve Swanson, in the vacuum of space.
The walk is expected to take about 6.5 hours. Among other tasks, they'll prepare batteries for replacement on the Port 6 truss - on the opposite end of the station's central truss from the newest set of solar arrays.
NASA officials say work at the far ends of the station's truss increases the risk of electric shock from the electric potential created by station systems. Some precautions have been taken, like insulated tape around metal rings connecting sections of the spacesuits.
Arnold said the crew was "ready for another great day in orbit."
FLORIDA TODAY's Space Team will be covering the spacewalk live, and you can watch it here by clicking on the NASA TV image on the right side of the page.
The walk is scheduled to get underway at 12:43 p.m. and end at 7:13 p.m.
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