NASA approved conducting a fourth, unplanned spacewalk as astronauts were unable to get the accordion-like array to fold up into a box properly including a highly unscientific request to an astronaut– Robert Curbeam inside to do some exercise. Curbeam pushed on the box several times, shaking the 115-foot array in an attempt to loosen wire tension. After a lengthy fourth spacewalk though it was not planned the crew of the space shuttle Discovery was finally able to fold an ornery solar array back into its box on the International Space Station.
The extra spacewalk carried out on Monday, would now delay space shuttle Discovery’s landing at the Kennedy Space Center by a day to Friday, and push back other activities such as undocking and a late inspection of the shuttle’s heat shield.
The fourth unplanned spacewalk by the astronauts really shows how much the ISS team is dedicated to complete the space station. The way they are pushing, the things really make them Heroes and surely, the future generations will remember them. Weeks ago, there were people who were now raising the questions about the scientific importance of ISS but the effort the crewmembers onboard ISS are showing will really make them shy of their comments. The primary goal of space shuttle Discovery’s seven-day visit to the space station was to rewire the lab and hook a new set of solar wings on to the permanent electricity grid. The new panels rotate with the movement of the sun to maximize the amount of solar energy produced, but in order for the new panels to spin, the old panel had to be retracted.
Via: Newscientist
