Discovery’s crew was awakened at 10:39 p.m. CDT by the song “Vertigo“ by U2 played for Pilot Jim Kelly.

The took additional pics of the spacecraft to determine potential damage that may be a hazard on return - so far no probs. In addition, they used the Station’s robot arm, to pluck the Multi Purpose Logistics Module from Discovery’s cargo bay and install it on the Station. The call it "Raffaello" (hahahaha just like those coconut coated sweets - yummy) It is now locked onto to the space station - will be emptied out and the filled up with "waste" to be taken back to earth.



Tommorrow is a big day - space walking - don't miss it LIVE on the net on NASA TV
http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html

Discovery’s crew was awakened at 10:43 p.m. CDT by the Japanese song "Sanpo," sung by a group of children, including Noguchi's.

This is the opening theme song from "Tonari no TOTORO"

and the first lines go:
Let's walk, let's walk, I feel fine.
I love to walk, let's go quickly.

cute!
So off they go space walking and doing some very difficult work out their on eva 2 and 3.

Soichi and Steve are back in the Space Shuttle - depresurization taking place at present. They completed all their work. Some of the funny moments:

1. Steve says to Soichi "I have taken a picture of you. I hope you were smiling" , to which Souichi responds " I have been smiling ever since we came out here"

2. Andy (managing the work of the two "space walkers" outside the space ship) says " just be patient I will get back to you in a minute" Soichi's response is "You are the doctor. We are the patients".
I guess he was implying that they were not going anywhere and they have no choice but to do what they are told anyway. LOL

Dire Straits rules!!!!!!!!!!!

Mission Control in Houston awakened the STS-114 crew with the song "Walk of Life" by Dire Straits in Robinson's honor.

So of they go space walking again today. They are changing out a gyroscope (just 600 lbs). A difficult task, as they need to take the old one out, install the new one and then safely store the old one to bring back to Earth for repairs. Soichi will be locked onto the robot arm by a foot pedestal and do the mount / demount work, while Steve will be 'free floating" around helping. Soichi will look like a telephnoe repair man on a cherry picker.


There are four gyroscopes on the space station that ensure that the space station keeps on track (correct position in orbit) using electrical energy (which is free in space) as opposed to rocket propelant (which needs to be delivered from Earth - expensive!!!). The faulty gyroscope failed three years ago and needs to be taken to Earth to analize the problem as it is a generic problem and one of the other gyroscopes is showing signs of the same problem and will definately fail soon and need to be reapired/replaced.

This morning the wake up call was "Big Rock Candy Mountains" (Haywire Mac) for Andy. Andy is the coordinator of all EVAs (space walking trips).


President Bush took time off work to speak to the Astounauts.

"I want to thank you for being risk takers for the sake of exploration," Bush said. " … We look forward to seeing the successful completion of this mission."
Before he signed off he added, "We are with you and wish you all the best."

here is the video: President Bush speaks to Astronauts
Listen till the end - it is quite funny!