Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Chris Hadfield and NASA’s Scott Parazynski stepped out of the Shuttle Endeavour for the second time today to rewire cables on the International Space Station and power up Canadarm2 from its new connecting point on the Destiny Lab.
“Hello Canadarm2,” said Canadian Space Agency Astronaut Chris Hadfield in the first minutes of his spacewalk. At 8:34 am, the astronauts began a seven-and-a-half hour spacewalk during which they reconfigured the cables on the Station’s US Destiny lab in order to activate Canadarm2’s new connecting point (known as a Power Data Grapple Fixture) on the lab.
Primary power to the arm was connected easily and quickly however the astronauts had difficulty connecting secondary power. After opening a panel on the exterior of the Station and removing and reattaching connectors the spacewalkers were able to activate secondary power to Canadarm2.
Once their work was complete, Canadarm2 switched ends for the first time ever to begin drawing electrical power and data from its new anchor point on the Station.
At the end of the spacewalk, Canadarm2 was commanded to raise the pallet to the parked position where it will remain overnight. Tomorrow, Canadarm2 will be put through its paces once again.
In a historic moment two generations of Canadian robotic arms will work together as the new Station arm hands its pallet back to the Shuttle’s Canadarm in a move that has been dubbed the first robotic “handshake” in space.
Canadarm2 will continue to go through trial runs even after Mission STS-100 and its crew return to Earth. However its installation on its permanent home, the International Space Station, is now complete.
“The arm will continue to work from its current base on the Destiny lab until Canada’s Mobile Base System is delivered to the Station next year,” said CSA President Mac Evans.
“A moveable platform for Canadarm2, the Mobile Base System will provide the arm with an additional mode of transportation by sliding along rails on the Station’s main truss to transport the arm to its worksites.”
Equipped with four Power Data Grapple Fixtures, not only will the base carry Canadarm2, but also the Canadian Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (to be launched in 2003-4).
This highly sophisticated two-armed robot will perform more delicate tasks and will work in concert with Canadarm2 to build the International Space Station.
