Canadian Astronauts To Repair Shuttle Endeavour From Space

Sun, August 12, 2007

Canuck eyed for shuttle repair job

By ANDY BLATCHFORD, CP

Spacewalker Dave Williams of the Canadian Space Agency works on the International Space Station's newly installed S5 truss segment in this view from NASA TV yesterday. Williams, 53, could get the call to patch up a hand-sized gouge in the belly of the space shuttle Endeavour, Canadian astronaut and spacewalk trainer Chris Hadfield said yesterday. (AP)

LONGUEUIL, QUE. -- Canadian astronaut Dave Williams may get the call to patch up a hand-sized gouge in the belly of the space shuttle Endeavour.

The shuttle sustained the gouge, as well as several smaller holes, moments after Wednesday's liftoff.

Canadian astronaut and spacewalk trainer Chris Hadfield said yesterday that Williams and U.S. astronaut Rick Mastracchio are likely the go-to spacemen to conduct any necessary patchwork.

"Dave and Rick are the two prime spacewalkers on the Endeavour crew," he said about 90 minutes after Williams floated feet first from the International Space Station for his inaugural spacewalk.

"We've got multiple layers of (repair) techniques, but my gut feeling is that we won't have to do any of those. We've had little dings in the belly over 10,000 times and it's well within our experience."

The shuttle's astronauts plan to inspect the damaged area more closely today using a laser camera built in Ottawa.

KEY CANUCK ROLE

They will assess the depth of the holes and decide if repairs are needed.

Hadfield said Canadian technology is playing a key role in space exploration.

"We couldn't fly the shuttle without the ability to inspect it. We couldn't build the station without the Canadarms," he said.

Hadfield said when he and the 53-year-old Williams were first hired as astronauts in the early 1990s, 6O-hour spacewalks were an "impossible" goal for Canadians.

Now, Canada is "right in the thick of it all," he said. "Canada is a pivotal part of the exploration of the universe."

Hadfield, who in 2001 became the first Canadian to walk in space, says jaunts outside the station are mentally and physically draining, but the view from 400 km above Earth more than makes up for it.

"You're there out in space all by yourself and you know that you're holding on to your spaceship, but you've got the whole universe on your left and then the whole world turning beautifully on your right," he said.

"It's a very bizarre and wonderful and mind-numbingly beautiful place to be."

Williams trained for four years to prepare for only a few hours of work, so the most frightening prospect is coming back inside without getting the job done, Hadfield said.

"For these guys, their No. 1 fear is to be unsuccessful, to run into an obstacle or have a personal failing that keeps them from doing what they're entrusted to do," he said.

"The No. 1 astronaut prayer is 'Don't let me screw up.' "