Spacewalk 2: Tangled cable, battery work await astronauts outside linked shuttle and station
By Marcia Dunn, APWednesday, May 19, 2010
Spacewalk 2: Tangled cable, batteries await crew
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The Atlantis astronauts have an extra chore on their spacewalking plate.
As soon as he floats outside Wednesday morning, Stephen Bowen will try to free a snagged cable on the end of the shuttle’s inspection boom. The tangled cord is preventing the astronauts from thoroughly inspecting their ship for any damage.
NASA says it should take just a half-hour for Bowen to straighten and tie back the cable. The rest of the spacewalk will be devoted to battery work.
Bowen and Michael Good will replace three old space station batteries. Three more will be replaced Friday during the third and final spacewalk of the mission.
Atlantis delivered the fresh batteries, along with a new Russian compartment that was installed Tuesday.
