Image Above: STS-120 Mission Specialist Doug Wheelock rides the station's robotic arm into Discovery's payload bay. Image credit: NASA TV

• Watch NASA TV
Amateur Radio in Space:
STS-120 astronauts add Harmony to space station during spacewalk

Mission Specialists Scott Parazynski, KC5RSY, and Doug Wheelock wrapped up STS-120’s first spacewalk at 12:16 p.m. EDT.

During the 6-hour, 14-minute excursion, the STS-120 and Expedition 16 crews successfully installed the Harmony module in a temporary location on the International Space Station and prepared the P6 truss for its relocation.

Parazynski and Wheelock removed and stowed the S-band Antenna Structural Assembly which is being returned to Earth on Discovery. Next, they secured a Payload and Data Grapple Fixture onto Harmony that could not be in place during launch, removed contamination covers and disconnected the power cables linking Harmony to Discovery.

Image Above: The Harmony module is attached to the International Space Station. Image credit: NASA TV

When the spacewalkers’ preparations were complete, the station robotic arm operators removed Harmony from the payload bay and moved it to its position on Unity. Meanwhile, the spacewalkers prepared the P6 truss for its relocation.

The first spacewalk of STS-120 began at 6:02 a.m. Mission Specialist Paolo Nespoli, IZ0JPA, coordinated spacewalk activities. Mission Specialists Stephanie Wilson, KD5DZE, Clay Anderson, KD5PLA, and Expedition 16 Flight Engineer Daniel Tani, KD5DXE, were at the controls of the station’s Canadian-built robotic arm.

The addition of the Harmony module sets the stage for the arrival of new research laboratories from the European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency during upcoming shuttle missions.

Four more spacewalks will take place during STS-120’s stay at the station. The two crews will also transfer cargo between Space Shuttle Discovery and the station.

STS-120 is the 23rd shuttle mission to visit the station