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CNN Live Sunday

Space Walk Under Way Outside International Space Station

Aired June 09, 2002 - 17:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The International Space Station, as you see it happening right now live, will be a cosmic construction zone all week. Right now, the first of three space walks planned for the next several days is already under way, as you're seeing it. CNN space correspondent Miles O'Brien joins us now with more on what exactly are they doing and why, Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN SPACE CORRESPONDENT: Good question, Fredricka. We're now approaching the six-hour mark to this space walk. Pair of space walkers, Franklin Chang-Diaz, Costa-Rican born U.S. astronaut, along with French astronaut, Philippe Perrin. Chang- Diaz tied the record for shuttle flight on his launch number seven is his mission, but this is the first time he's ever stepped outside of the space shuttle.

Let's take a look at some pictures live from space now, as the International Space Station, the Space Shuttle Endeavour travel along at 17,500 miles an hour some 240 miles above us. And as I take a look at the Telestrater here to give you a sense of what's going on, that's Philippe Perrin right there. Put his name tag up there if you like. And right here in the foreground, that is the Canadarm 2 (ph), the $600 million arm attached to the International Space Station. It is being used to work on a mobile thing -- excuse me, on a mobile remote servicer base system, which you see right in front of you. This is a helmet-mounted camera on Franklin Chang-Diaz. This is a device which will be carried down a rail car, down the full 350-foot length of the space station, to allow that robotic arm to sort of inchworm its way across to the far reaches of the station and help build out this $100 billion complex over the next several years.

There you see the earth beneath them as they do their work.

Let's take a look at some pictures which came down a little while ago during the course of this six-hour space walk as they went through their tasks. In addition to this work, look at that view. There is Franklin Chang-Diaz, getting a sense of what it's like to be outside the shuttle. On his seventh mission, it is his first space walk. He described that as "amazing." I would say that's a bit of an understatement, I suppose, as he went over the South Pacific and took in that tremendous view.

They attached a grapple fixture onto a piece of the space station that will be moved later. They took a look at the gyroscope, which has failed on the space station. Not causing any significant problems on this mission, but something that will ultimately have to be fixed, and they took care of about a half-dozen debris shields that will be installed later.

The Russians, Fredricka, when they launched the living quarters for the space station, wasn't properly shielded against micro- meteorites, so over the course of the next few years, they will attach about two dozen metal panels to the outside. And when all is said and done, the risk to the astronauts inside will decrease by all of 1 percent, but still worth it, even for 1 percent.

WHITFIELD: Wow. Miles, and what a treat that we get a chance to see this live as it happens. I mean, how cool to be able to watch this taking place in outer space.

O'BRIEN: I suppose, the only thing cooler would be being there, but that will be saved for another assignment.

WHITFIELD: OK. Well, I'm sure you'll be on your way soon. Thanks a lot, Miles. Appreciate it.

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