First STS-134 Spacewalk Complete

Astronauts Drew Feustel and Greg Chamitoff completed a six-hour, 19-minute spacewalk at 9:29 a.m. EDT. They successfully installed antennas for the External Wireless Communication system, routing cables, setting up the antenna, installing handrails, and connecting power cables.

Because of a carbon dioxide sensor failure in Chamitoff’s spacesuit, flight controllers limited his spacewalk time to about 6 hrs 20 minutes, 10 minutes less than the planned six hours and 30 minutes. There was no indication his suit’s carbon dioxide levels would rise. However, they deferred tasks to remove a micrometeoroid debris shield to access and attach some of the connection points.

This was the first of the four STS-134 spacewalks, the 245th spacewalk conducted by U.S. astronauts, the 115th from space station airlocks, and the 156th in support of space station assembly and maintenance, totaling 980 hours, 12 min. It was Feustel’s fourth spacewalk for a total time of 27 hours and 17 minutes. As Chamitoff’s first, his total time spacewalking is six hours and 19 minutes.

Meanwhile, Pilot Greg Johnson and Mission Specialist Roberto Vittori transferred equipment and supplies from Endeavour’s middeck to the station.

NASA Television will air a mission status briefing with STS-134 Lead Flight Director Derek Hassmann and STS-134 Lead Spacewalk Officer Allison Bolinger to discuss the spacewalk at 11:30 a.m. at http://www.nasa.gov/ntv.

A second mission status briefing at 1 p.m. with Kenny Todd, International Space Station manager for Operations and Integration, and Courtenay McMillan, International Space Station Team 4 flight director, will discuss the Soyuz undocking May 23. The procedure will include an opportunity for the Expedition 27 crew members to acquire imagery of the space station in its current configuration.