Description : Scott Kelly and Timothy Kopra performed an unplanned spacewalk on December 21, 2015 (3h 16m). The pair moved the station`s mobile transporter rail car so it can be latched in place ahead of the docking of a Russian cargo resupply spacecraft on December 23, 2015. The mobile transporter - used to position the station`s robotic Canadarm2 - stalled on December 16, 2015 just four inches (10 centimeters) from where it began its move, while flight controllers in the Mission Control Center at NASA`s Johnson Space Center in Houston were attempting to reposition it robotically. The cause of the stall still is being evaluated.
Scott Kelly and Timothy Kopra floated out of the Quest airlock to the area where the Mobile Transporter has stalled to check out the position of its brake handles and other mechanisms to make sure the rail car can be commanded to move back to worksite 4 by robotic flight controllers at Mission Control, Houston. It is suspected that a brake handle on an equipment cart attached to the starboard side of the transporter may have inadvertently engaged, which if correct, should easily be released to allow for the transporter to be moved into place for it`s latching.
Scott Kelly and Timothy Kopra made quick work of releasing brake handles on the crew equipment (CETA) carts on either side of the mobile transporter rail car so it could be latched in place ahead of docking of Russia`s Progress MS cargo spacecraft.
Their primary objective completed, the two Expedition 46 astronauts tackled several get-ahead tasks. Scott Kelly routed a second pair of cables in preparation for the installation of an International Docking Adapter (IDA) to support U.S. commercial crew vehicles, continuing work he began during a November 2015 spacewalk. Timothy Kopra routed an ethernet cable that ultimately will connect to a Russian laboratory module. They also retrieved tools that had been in a toolbox on the outside of the station, so they can be used for future work.

USA 3084 A - picture enhanced ?

Page : future · Ref: USA 3084 L

Back to YOUR list

Space Event :

I.S.S. EXPEDITION 46 · EVA 1,2

USA 3084