spacetoday.net: Astronauts wrap up series of spacewalks

Posted: Fri, Feb 9, 2007, 7:28 AM ET (1228 GMT)
ISS EVA on 2007 Feb 8 (NASA)

Two NASA astronauts worked outside the International Space Station on Thursday, completing a series of three spacewalks conducted in a nine-day period. Mike Lopez-Alegria and Sunita Williams spent six hours and 40 minutes outside the ISS performing several tasks, including the disposal of thermal covers on a truss segment that are no longer needed. The two also connected cables that will allow shuttles to draw power from the station while docked there, extending their missions, and also deployed an external cargo mounting platform. During the EVA Lopez-Alegria set a new US record for cumulative spacewalk time, breaking the mark of 58 hours and 32 minutes held by Jerry Ross. Lopez-Alegria will add to his current record of 61 hours and 22 minutes on a February 22 spacewalk with Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Tyurin.