Image above: STS-126 crew members participate in interviews with WXIA-TV and WAGA-TV in Atlanta and WHDH-TV in Boston. Photo credit: NASA TV

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Crews attach Leonardo to ISS and prepare for first spacewalk

STS-126 and Expedition 18 crew members used a robotic arm on Monday to attach the Leonardo Multi-Purpose Logistics Module onto the International Space Station.

The crews also prepared for today's spacewalk by mission specialists Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper, KD5TVR, and Steve Bowen.

The spacewalk is scheduled to kick off about 1:45 p.m. EST. Piper and Bowen will work outside of the station to swap equipment delivered by the shuttle with equipment that will be brought back to Earth. They also will begin the cleaning of the starboard solar alpha rotary joint and replacement of its trundle bearing assemblies.

Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, KD5TVR

The spacewalk, which is the first of four scheduled for
STS-126, is slated to last 6.5 hours.

In preparation for their spacewalk, Piper and Bowen spent Monday night in the station’s Quest Airlock. The purpose of this “camp out” is to purge the nitrogen from their bodies before their planned exit from the station.