American Spacewalkers Pick Up Extra Chores

Two American astronauts continue to zoom through work outside the International Space Station today, picking up extra chores while they whiz through assigned tasks.

Shuttle mission specialists Drew Feustel and Mike Fincke are hooking up cables for a wireless communications system outside the U.S. Destiny laboratory. The task had been slated for completion during the first of four spacewalks planned during Endeavour's stay at the station. The work, however, was deferred and now is being performed on the third Endeavour excursion.

Feustel and Fincke already have mounted a base on the Russian Zarya module for the station's Canadian-built robot arm. That will extend the reach of the 57.5 foot crane to the Russian side of the station.

They also installed a video signal conditioner that works with the Power & Data Grapple Fixture, a device that enables electrical power, computer commands and video signals to be transmitted to and from "The Big Arm."

Additionally, the astronauts rigged up two of four power cables between the U.S. Unity module and the Russian Zarya space tug. The other two will be hooked up later in the spacewalk. The cables will serve as backups that will be available to route electricity from the U.S. power system.