Maryland astronaut Ricky Arnold starts spacewalk
Ricky Arnold, the Maryland-born-and-raised former middle-and high-school teacher has begun his first spacewalk. Launched into space aboard the shuttle Discovery earlier this week, Arnold is busy 
this afternoon attaching the final truss segment on the International Space Station. Later, he and astronaut Steve Swanson will install the fourth and final pair of ISS solar panels on the truss.
Right out of the hatch, Arnold marveled at his view of the moon high overhead, but he went quickly to work.
You can watch the spacewalk live on NASA TV. Click here.
As they worked, the ISS passed over Europe not long after sunset there. Satellite observer Leo Barhorst watched it fly over Holland. Here's his report, from the SeeSat discussion group:
"Just saw ISS and the shuttle making a beautifull pass.
"It passed above Sirius (alpha CMA) and was just a bright, but more yellower.
"When it moved to the east ISS became brighter and was brighter than Venus shining low in the west.
"Before it would disappear behind houses ISS entered shadow."
UPDATE: 6:30 p.m. The truss is installed and the new solar arrays have begun to unfurl. Mission accomplished.
Comments
Bad link.
http://ui-blogs.trb.com/cgi-bin/mt/www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html
FR: Thanks. Should be working now.
Posted by: TQ | March 19, 2009 3:36 PM