Coverage continues at Part 5 of our Mission Journal.

Here are some pics from Monday's spacewalk:

- Click thumbnail for full-size image -

• 15 October 2002 - Evening Update - Flight Day 9 was the last full day that Atlantis would spend docked to the ISS.  NASA reports:

  STS-112 to Depart ISS Wednesday
  The STS-112 crew will wrap up a successful weeklong stay at the International Space Station when Space Shuttle Atlantis undocks from the orbital outpost at 8:13 a.m. CDT [9:13AM EDT/1313 GMT] Wednesday.

  Tuesday activities, the STS-112 crew's last full day at the International Space Station, included cargo transfers between the shuttle and the station and joint operations with the Expedition Five crew. The crew also enjoyed some well-deserved off-duty time in the morning.

  STS-112 delivered the S1 (S-One) Truss to the International Space Station. Astronauts David Wolf and Piers Sellers conducted three spacewalks to outfit and activate the S1. Also, Commander Jeff Ashby and Pilot Pam Melroy performed two maneuvers during STS-112's stay to raise the station's orbit 9.7 kilometers (6 miles).

  Following undocking, the STS-112 crew will turn its attention to landing, which is slated for 10:45 a.m. CDT [11:45AM EDT/1545 GMT] Friday at Kennedy Space Center, Fla.

  The crews will bid each other farewell tomorrow morning. The hatches between Atlantis and Alpha will close shortly before 7AM EDT EDT (1100 GMT) Wednesday. The orbiter is scheduled to undock at 9:13AM EDT (1313 GMT).

  
  

• 15 October 2002 - Tuesday - After wrapping up the last of three spacewalks yesterday, the crews of Atlantis and Alpha will enjoy one last day of joint operations before the STS-112 crew heads home tomorrow. NASA reports:

  Crew Enjoys Off-Duty Time
  The STS-112 and Expedition Five crews are taking a short break during the first half of the day today, relaxing and enjoying each other's company before Space Shuttle Atlantis departs Wednesday.

  Today marks the 131st day in space for the Expedition Five crewmembers, and the STS-112 crewmembers are the first visitors they have seen since being delivered to the station in June. Space Shuttle Atlantis has been docked to the station for seven days.

  The crews will return to work later today, performing maintenance tasks and transferring the last cargo items between the two spacecraft. Spacewalkers David Wolf and Piers Sellers and Pilot Pam Melroy will prepare the Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuits for the trip home.

  The six shuttle crewmembers will leave the complex tomorrow a bit heavier and more capable than it was prior to their arrival a week ago. Watch NASA TV today to see coverage of STS-112's final full day at the International Space Station. NASA TV Schedule

  Flight Day 8 videos and new ISS photos are up at the NASA Gallery.

• 14 October 2002 - Evening Update - Flight Day 8 comes to a close. The spacewalking duo from Atlantis (by way of Texas) has wrapped up the last spacewalk of the mission.  NASA reports:

  Crew Completes Third Spacewalk
  The third and final spacewalk of STS-112 came to a close Monday at 3:47 p.m. CDT [4:47PM EDT/2047 GMT]. Astronauts Piers Sellers and David Wolf continued work to activate and outfit the S1 (S-One) Truss, which was attached to the International Space Station on Thursday.

  During the 6-hour, 36-minute excursion, they installed fluid jumpers that will allow ammonia coolant to flow between the S0 (S-Zero) and S1 Trusses. Other work on the S1 included installation of more Spool Positioning Devices on ammonia lines and removal launch support brackets that are no longer required. They also removed and replaced the Interface Umbilical Assembly on the station's Mobile Transporter.

  Supporting the spacewalk, which was the 46th conducted at the station, were STS-112 Commander Jeff Ashby, Pilot Pam Melroy and Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus and NASA ISS Science Officer Peggy Whitson. Melroy coordinated the extravehicular activity. Ashby operated the shuttle robot arm, and Magnus and Whitson were at the controls of the station arm.

  The crews continued to transfer supplies from Atlantis to the Station today. Tomorrow is the last full day of joint operations. (And it looks like that's when we'll get our pictures posted, sorry).

  
  

• 14 October - Afternoon Update - EVA #3 is complete. It started 30 minutes early, and lasted about 6½ hours. A Mission Status Briefing will be carried live on NASA TV at 5:30PM EDT (2230 GMT). It's a busy day in space! NASA reports:

  Ground Control Deploys Radiator Assembly
  Monday morning at 3:01 CDT [4:01AM EDT/0801 GMT], International Space Station flight controllers deployed a radiator assembly on the International Space Station's S1 (S-One) Truss. The assembly, which will not be activated until later in the assembly sequence, will be used to cool the station.

  Watch NASA TV today to see coverage of STS-112's final spacewalk. It began at 9:11 a.m. CDT [10:11AM EDT/1411 GMT].

  Prior to the start of the spacewalk, Ashby and Melroy fired Atlantis' engines to raise the station's orbit by 3.7 kilometers (2.3 miles). It was the second reboost maneuver of the mission, raising the station a total of 9.7 kilometers (6 miles).

  Stay tuned, we'll be posting shots from NASA TV tonight.

  
  

• 14 October 2002 - Monday - As we celebrate Columbus Day, another group of explorers are at the space frontier. The last of STS-112's three spacewalks starts this morning. Atlantis will depart the Station on Wednesday, and land back at KSC on Friday. NASA reports:

  Crew Prepares for Third Spacewalk
  Later today, Astronauts David Wolf and Piers Sellers will step outside the International Space Station for the third time to continue activating the S1 (S-One) Truss. The 6.5-hour excursion is scheduled to begin at 9:41 a.m. CDT [10:41AM EDT/1441 GMT].

  Wolf and Sellers will install fluid jumpers that will allow ammonia coolant to flow between the S0 (S-Zero) and S1 Trusses. Other work on the S1 will include the installation of more Spool Positioning Devices on ammonia lines and a test of the Segment-to-Segment Attachment System on the outboard end of the S1 in preparation for the arrival of future starboard truss pieces. The spacewalkers will also remove and replace the Interface Umbilical Assembly on the station's Mobile Transporter.

  The spacewalkers will once again receive assistance from inside Space Shuttle Atlantis and the station. Pilot Pam Melroy will coordinate the extravehicular activity, Commander Jeff Ashby will operate the shuttle robot arm and Mission Specialist Sandy Magnus and NASA ISS Science Officer Peggy Whitson will be at the controls of the station arm.

  Check the play-by-play links at right for up-to-the-minute EVA status, and watch NASA TV to watch the astronauts at work.

  Flight Day 7 videos and Flight Day 6 photos are up at the NASA Gallery.

• 13 October 2002 - Evening Update - Sunday was a low-key day for transferring supplies, and prepping for the last of this mission's three spacewalks.  NASA reports:

  Crew Prepares for Third Spacewalk
  Sunday, the STS-112 crew spent time preparing for its third and final spacewalk at the International Space Station. Crewmembers reconfigured tools and recharged the spacesuits that Mission Specialists David Wolf and Piers Sellers will use during the excursion with water. Near the end of the day, the STS-112 and Expedition Five crews reviewed procedures for the spacewalk and the station's Quest Airlock.

  Wolf and Sellers are scheduled to begin the spacewalk at 9:41 a.m. CDT [10:41AM EDT/1441 GMT] Monday. They will continue activating and outfitting the S1 (S-One) Truss and replace an interface cable on the Mobile Transporter.

  In other activities Sunday, the two crews continued to transfer supplies and equipment between Space Shuttle Atlantis and the station. Also, both crews held their Joint Crew News Conference, in which they fielded questions from reporters.

  Meanwhile, flight controllers decided to delay deployment of a radiator on the S1 (S-One) Truss. The decision came after preliminary steps for the deployment needed to be adjusted. The new deployment time, 2:53 a.m. CDT [3:53AM EDT/0753 GMT] Monday, will allow flight controllers to watch it live.

  Ask the crew and MCC answers are now available.

  
  

• 13 October 2002 - Sunday - Flight Day 7 will be spent preparing for the last spacewalk of the mission, which will take place tomorrow. Yesterday's excursion, like the first, successfully added to Alpha's structure.  NASA reports:

  Transfer Operations Continue
  In orbit today, the STS-112 crew is working with the International Space Station Expedition Five crew to transfer cargo between the two spacecraft and perform maintenance operations on the station. High-pressure tanks on the station's Quest Airlock exterior will be replenished with oxygen from Space Shuttle Atlantis.

  All nine astronauts and cosmonauts will participate in a press briefing from the U.S. Destiny Laboratory at 1:30 p.m. CDT [2:30PM EDT/1830 GMT] today. NASA TV will carry the news conference live.

  Later today, one of the radiators on the newly installed S1 (S-One) Truss will be remotely deployed to verify the connections established during the first spacewalk last week. When fully extended, it will measure 23 meters (75 feet) in length.

  During the overnight period as the crews slept, flight controllers in Mission Control tested a television camera on the newly installed S1. The new camera worked perfectly, offering unique views of the station's exterior and the docked shuttle.

  See Part 3 of our Journal for lots of pictures from the spacewalk yesterday, and from the first one last Thursday.

  Flight Day 5 photos and Flight Day 6 videos are now available in the NASA Gallery.

For reports covering the previous two EVAs, see Part 3 of our Mission Journal.