Spacewalking astronauts are stepping so quickly through their work outside the International Space Station today that they are taking on work that had been slated for a final excursion at the outpost on Friday.Atlantis mission specialists Stephen Bowen and Michael Good removed three old batteries and replaced them with fresh units, completing the prime objective of the second spacewalk scheduled during a weeklong stay at the station. Now they are moving on to the removal and replacement of a fourth battery.
The Atlantis crew aimed to swap out a total of six batteries during the spacewalk today and the one on Friday -- three on each outing. As it stands, Good and crewmate Garrett Reisman will only have two to change out on the third excursion.
The large, boxy batteries weigh 375 pounds and are designed to operate in orbit for 6.5 years. The batteries being replaced were delivered on STS-97 in December 2000.
The nickel hydrogen batteries charge when the station is on the sunlit side of Earth and power outpost systems during swings around the dark side of the planet. The station is in darkness about half of each 90 minute orbit.
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