Saturday's spacewalk, with astronauts dangling from the International Space Station's robotic arm to wire together a (still electrically live) torn solar array, will go down in NASA history as a catastrophe averted. The pictures taken of the event are worth displaying, showing exactly how nuts, I mean courageous, astronaut Scott Parazynski proved to be.
Below: The torn solar array, as photographed before the fix-it operation. Had this not been repaired, the space station would likely not have had enough power to support both the European and Japanese science components scheduled to be added later this year and next. (Additional photos are below the fold). (Image Credit: NASA)
Below: Parazynski is lowered towards the rip in the solar panal, dangling from the ISS's robotic arm. (Image Credit: NASA)
Below: Astronaut Doug Wheelock assists, keeping an eye on the distance between Parazynski and the solar array. (Image Credit: NASA)
Below: Parazynski works his MacGyver magic on the torn panel, cutting a snagged wire and installing "homemade" stabilizers, designed to strengthen and stabilize the array. (Image Credit: NASA)
Below: Parazynski surveys his work, still hanging from the robotic arm. (Image Credit: NASA)
Below: The repaired section of the solar array. (Image Credit: NASA)
