Two U.S. astronauts are suited up and sealed in the U.S. Quest airlock at the International Space Station, preparing to venture outside on a mission to stow a spare U.S. communications antenna as well a new work platform for the outpost's two-armed Canadian robot Dextre.Atlantis mission specialists Garrett Reisman and Stephen Bowen have just been given the go to depress the airlock, one of the final stages of spacewalk preparations. Bowen just flipped a switch in the airlock that began the depressurization process. The idea is to equalize the pressure in the airlock with the vacuum of space. The spacesuits being worn by the astronauts will protect them in the vacuum.
For identification purposes, Reisman is wearing all white spacesuit. Bowen is wearing a spacesuit with a red stripe on the upper portion of its pant legs and its backpack.
A cargo pallet holding the spare station antenna and the Dextre work platform have been pre-positioned outside the station for the spacewalkers. It is located on the Canadian-built mobile transporter rail cart.
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