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| Atlantis crew begins spacewalk | Atlantis crew begins spacewalk |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Two US astronauts have begun the first space walk of their 11-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). | Two US astronauts have begun the first space walk of their 11-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS). |
| Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Joe Tanner are connecting wires and cables to a $372m (£293m) truss segment. | Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper and Joe Tanner are connecting wires and cables to a $372m (£293m) truss segment. |
| The bus-sized structure will provide power, data and communication services for the orbiting space station. | The bus-sized structure will provide power, data and communication services for the orbiting space station. |
| The pair is expected to work outside the ISS for six-and-a-half hours in the first of three planned spacewalks. | The pair is expected to work outside the ISS for six-and-a-half hours in the first of three planned spacewalks. |
| The first task is to carry out delicate engineering work on the P3/P4 truss, a 17-tonne segment of the space station's "backbone", which includes a huge set of solar arrays. | The first task is to carry out delicate engineering work on the P3/P4 truss, a 17-tonne segment of the space station's "backbone", which includes a huge set of solar arrays. |
| ISS: ORBITING OUTPOST Construction work has been on hold for four years16 nations contribute to the ISS, including the US, Russia, Japan, Canada, Brazil and European Space Agency statesThe ISS will eventually be the size of a football field | ISS: ORBITING OUTPOST Construction work has been on hold for four years16 nations contribute to the ISS, including the US, Russia, Japan, Canada, Brazil and European Space Agency statesThe ISS will eventually be the size of a football field |
| The truss was manoeuvred into place shortly before the spacewalk using a robotic arm operated by astronauts Steve MacLean and Jeff Williams inside the ISS. | The truss was manoeuvred into place shortly before the spacewalk using a robotic arm operated by astronauts Steve MacLean and Jeff Williams inside the ISS. |
| Piper, one of the few female astronauts to have conducted a spacewalk, and colleague Tanner, will install and disconnect bolts, connect tubes, and activate latches. | Piper, one of the few female astronauts to have conducted a spacewalk, and colleague Tanner, will install and disconnect bolts, connect tubes, and activate latches. |
| The tasks must be performed quickly to protect electronic components from the cold, using bulky suits and gloves. | The tasks must be performed quickly to protect electronic components from the cold, using bulky suits and gloves. |
| Tanner was first to step outside the airlock into space, tethered to the space station, followed by Piper. | |
| "Welcome to the world of EVAs," he told his colleague, using the Nasa slang for spacewalks. | "Welcome to the world of EVAs," he told his colleague, using the Nasa slang for spacewalks. |
| "Aaah. Wonderful," replied Piper. | "Aaah. Wonderful," replied Piper. |
| Saturday's launch was just the third shuttle mission since the orbiter Columbia broke up on re-entry after being damaged by launch debris in 2003. | Saturday's launch was just the third shuttle mission since the orbiter Columbia broke up on re-entry after being damaged by launch debris in 2003. |
| The six astronauts, one woman and five men , arrived at the ISS on Monday. After docking with the station, they greeted its three occupants of the station, and started work on the first construction mission since November 2002. | The six astronauts, one woman and five men , arrived at the ISS on Monday. After docking with the station, they greeted its three occupants of the station, and started work on the first construction mission since November 2002. |
| Nasa says the next few days will be one of the most complex and busy in shuttle history. | Nasa says the next few days will be one of the most complex and busy in shuttle history. |
| Astronauts Dan Burbank and MacLean are due to venture outside the ISS for another spacewalk on Wednesday. | Astronauts Dan Burbank and MacLean are due to venture outside the ISS for another spacewalk on Wednesday. |
| On Thursday, the new segment will be powered up and two giant solar arrays unfurled. | On Thursday, the new segment will be powered up and two giant solar arrays unfurled. |