NASA flight controllers decided to end Wednesday's spacewalk early because of damage to the outer layer of one spacewalker's gloves. However, the major tasks of Endeavour mission's third spacewalk have been completed, said NASA mission control center.
The spacewalk, the third of four planned for Endeavour's mission, began at 10:37 a.m. EDT (1437 GMT) by Endeavour Mission Specialist Rick Mastracchio and Station flight engineer Clayton Anderson.
At about 2:54 p.m. EDT, Mastracchio reported damage to the thumb of his spacesuit glove. And NASA mission control immediately ordered an early end to his work at about 3:00 p.m. EDT, which was originally scheduled to last 6.5 hours.
Even though there is no threat to the spacewalker's safety, the decision was made as a precaution, said NASA.
In the meantime, his partner Anderson remained outside to finish up his task and wrapped up his portion of spacewalk at 4:05 p.m. EDT.
The spacewalkers accomplished almost all of their tasks despite the early end. They relocated an antenna outside the station, and prepared the outpost's mast-like P6 solar array for relocation later this year.
The spacewalkers also installed a new transponder and signal processor in an S-band communications system upgrade.
Then Anderson moved a pair of equipment carts to clear the path for the station's railcar-like Mobile Trasporter and retrieved a transponder in the end. Retrieval of the materials of two science experiments will be deferred to a future spacewalk, NASA decided.
Today's spacewalk was Mastracchio's third of the mission. Anderson, who arrived at the station in June, conducted his first spacewalk on July 23 with Expedition 15 Commander Fyodor Yurchikhin.
Source: Xinhua
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