Canadarm2 takes its first step

St. Hubert, 23 April 2001 – Canada’s next-generation robotic arm, Canadarm2,
took its first step in space today reaching out to grasp a connecting point
on the International Space Station’s Destiny lab. These connecting devices
will eventually be placed around the Station’s external structure allowing
the arm to flip end-over-end.

Astronauts activated Canadarm2 from a Canadian-built robotic workstation
inside the International Space Station. Prior to the Canadarm2’s first step,
the Station crew commanded the arm to perform a few practice exercises that
verified the movement of the arm’s joints both individually and then
simultaneously.

“The arm is performing flawlessly. Today’s success is a tribute to the
Canadian expertise we have developed in space robotics,” said Canadian Space
Agency President, Mac Evans. “The events of the past two days have delivered
on a dream conceived more than 15 years ago, that Canada would play a
critical role in this very significant international project.” Canadarm2 is
critical to the successful assembly of the Space Station-it will act as a
“construction crane” to build the Station in space, and will be used on
virtually every assembly mission. Canadian companies from all regions of
the nation participated in building Canadarm2, including its prime
contractor MDRobotics of Brampton, Ontario.

The astronauts learned to operate the arm at the Canadian Space Agency’s
world-renowned training simulators in St. Hubert. CSA Astronaut Chris
Hadfield helped the Station crew give the arm its first command “It flies
beautifully, very precisely and very much like the simulator, which is
comforting,” said Hadfield from space.

“I am extremely proud of the product we have turned out back home,” added
Hadfield. “It is a complicated piece of hardware. The arm has mechanical and
software complexity. Even though we were confident, you still never know for
sure…We are extremely happy with the results and of the way it’s working
today.”

For the first time in history two generations of Canadian robotic arms were
active in space at the same time. Canadarm2 was finishing its checkout as
the Shuttle’s Canadarm attached the Italian Multi-Purpose Logistics Module
(a type of space moving van with supplies, equipment and experiments) to the
Station.

Tomorrow, at 9:06 a.m. EDT, CSA Astronaut Chris Hadfield and NASA’s Scott
Parazynski will begin a second six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk to reconnect
electrical cables on the Destiny lab. These cables will power up Canadarm2’s
new connecting point on the lab, known as a Power Data Grapple Fixture, so
that it too can provide the arm with electricity and data for its computer
systems. Canadarm2 is currently being powered by the space pallet.

Media Program for 24 April 2001 (Flight Day 6)