HOUSTON — Spacewalkers’ specially designed tools couldn’t dislodge a balky bolt interfering with repairs Sunday at the Hubble Space Telescope, so they took an approach more familiar to people puttering around down on Earth: use brute force.
And it worked. But it set spacewalkers so far behind that they couldn’t get all their tasks done.
Atlantis astronaut Michael Massimino couldn’t remove one bolt attaching a hand rail to the outside of a scientific instrument he needed to fix.
That was only the beginning of a hard-luck day.
When several tries with different expensive tools couldn’t remove the stripped-out bolt, Mission Control in Houston told Massimino to go for the less precise yank.
Astronauts were careful to tape pieces so they wouldn’t fly away and become potential missiles.
And while Atlantis was out of video contact 350 miles above Earth, controllers in Houston could only listen as Massimino took a breath and pulled.
After a second of silence, Massimino calmly said: ‘disposal bag, please.’
Three of the four Hubble spacewalks so far this mission have been delayed by problems, like stubborn bolts and objects that wouldn’t fit.
A fifth and final spacewalk is set for today.
by the associated press
And it worked. But it set spacewalkers so far behind that they couldn’t get all their tasks done.
Atlantis astronaut Michael Massimino couldn’t remove one bolt attaching a hand rail to the outside of a scientific instrument he needed to fix.
That was only the beginning of a hard-luck day.
When several tries with different expensive tools couldn’t remove the stripped-out bolt, Mission Control in Houston told Massimino to go for the less precise yank.
Astronauts were careful to tape pieces so they wouldn’t fly away and become potential missiles.
And while Atlantis was out of video contact 350 miles above Earth, controllers in Houston could only listen as Massimino took a breath and pulled.
After a second of silence, Massimino calmly said: ‘disposal bag, please.’
Three of the four Hubble spacewalks so far this mission have been delayed by problems, like stubborn bolts and objects that wouldn’t fit.
A fifth and final spacewalk is set for today.
by the associated press
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