Endeavour Astronauts Successfully Complete Final Spacewalk

Astronaut Mike Fincke (Image credit:NASA)

Endeavour Astronauts Mike Fincke and Greg Chamitoff have successfully completed  the fourth and final spacewalk of the mission. Taking seven hours and twenty four minutes, the primary objectives for the spacewalk were accomplished, including stowing the 50-foot long boom and adding a power and data grapple fixture to extend the reach of the International Space Station's robotic arm.

This was the last spacewalk ever to be conducted by space shuttle astronauts. At 5:02 a.m., Fincke and Chamitoff surpassed the 1,000th hour astronauts and cosmonauts have spent spacewalking in support of space station assembly and maintenance.

It was the 248th spacewalk U.S. astronauts have conducted and the 118th from space station airlocks and Mike Fincke's ninth – and at  20.00 EST this evening, he will become the U.S. astronaut who has spent the most number of days in space, surpassing Peggy Whitson's record of 377 days in space.

The Endeavour is due to return to Earth on June 1st.

Record 1000 Hours on Final Shuttle Spacewalk

Image credit: NASA

Astronauts and cosmonauts have now spent 1,000 hours spacewalking for assembly and maintenance of the International Space Station. 


Spacewalkers Mike Fincke and Greg Chamitoff surpassed the 1,000th hour 4 hours and 47 minutes into today's spacewalk, at 5:02 a.m. EDT. It is the final spacewalk of this mission and the last ever by space shuttle astronauts.

Endeavour STS-134 Daily Mission Recap - Flight Day 11

A video recap of flight day 11 of the STS-134 mission of Space Shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station:

(Video courtesy of NASA)

Endeavour STS-134 Daily Mission Recap - Flight Day 9 (Video)

A video recap of flight day 9 of the STS-134 mission of space shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station.

Third Endeavour Mission Spacewalk Successfully Completed

Photo credit: NASA

Astronauts Drew Feustel and Mike Fincke have successfully completed the third of four planned spacewalks.  The six-hour, 54-minute spacewalk ended at 8:37 a.m. EDT.  They completed all planned tasks, installing cables to increase redundancy for the power system on the Russian segment of the station, completing the external wireless antenna system work started during the first spacewalk.

This was the 247th spacewalk conducted by NASA Astronauts and the 158th in support of space station assembly and maintenance, totaling 995 hours, 13 min.

If all goes as planned, the 1,000th hour of space station assembly and maintenance will be logged during the final spacewalk on Friday, when Mike Fincke will secure the record for the most days in space, currently held by Peggy Whitson who has spent 377 days in space.

Endeavour Crew Complete Second Spacewalk

Mission Specialists Drew Feustel (top) and Mike Fincke on the second
 spacewalk of the STS-134 mission
Image credit: NASA TV

Spacewalkers Mike Fincke and Drew Feustel successfully completed their mission's second spacewalk at 10:12 am EDT (15.12 GMT). Mike Fincke installed two radiator grapple bar stowage beams to the International Space Station while astronaut Drew Feustel worked on the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator, called ‘Dextre’.

Lasting eight hours and seven minutes this second of the four spacewalks on the STS-134 mission and the 246th spacewalk by US astronauts. It was Derew Feustel's fifth spacewalk for a total time of 35 hours and 24 minutes and Fincke's seventh spacewalk for a total time of 34 hours.

Launch Date Set For Final Space Shuttle Flight

Image Credit: NASA

NASA's final space shuttle flight is targeted to launch on July 8 at about 11:40 am EDT (16.40 GMT) from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Mission STS-135 for the Space Shuttle Atlantis will deliver supplies and essential spares to the International Space Station.

The 12-day mission also will deliver an experiment designed to test the tools, technologies and techniques needed to robotically refuel satellites. Chris Ferguson, a veteran of two previous shuttle missions, will command Atlantis with Doug Hurley as pilot.  Sandy Magnus and Rex Walheim have been named as the mission specialists.

STS-135 will be Atlantis' 33rd mission and the 37th shuttle flight dedicated to International Space Station assembly and maintenance. It will be the 135th and final mission of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.