Truss Work, Spacewalk Preps on Tap Today

The Space Shuttle Discovery and International Space Station crews are using the station and shuttle robotic arms to move the P6 truss segment and preparing for Tuesday’s spacewalk, the third of the mission. The crews will also get some off duty time this morning.

The shuttle robotic arm operators have handed the P6 truss back to the station robotic arm operators. The shuttle’s Canadarm took the P6 from the station’s Canadarm2 earlier this morning and held it until Canadarm2 moved closer to the worksite. The Canadarm2 operators will install P6 to the P5 truss during the mission’s third spacewalk.

STS-120 Mission Specialists Scott Parazynski and Doug Wheelock are reviewing procedures and practicing techniques they will use during the third spacewalk set to begin at 5:28 a.m. EDT Tuesday. Mission managers have decided to add inspections of the port Solar Alpha Rotary Joint to tomorrow's spacewalk. Parazynski and Wheelock also will conduct an overnight campout in the station’s airlock to prepare for the spacewalk.

Shuttle and station crew members also talked about their mission from inside the Harmony node with ABC News, NBC News and CNN News this afternoon.

Source: NASA