DATE=12/13/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-242902 TITLE=SHUTTLE / SPACEWALK (L) BYLINE=DAVID MCALARY DATELINE=WASHINGTON INTRO: TWO U-S ASTRONAUTS HAVE COMPLETED THE LAST OF THREE SPACEWALKS OUTSIDE THE SHUTTLE "ENDEAVOUR" -- PREPARING THE NEW INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE NEXT CONSTRUCTION CREW IN MAY. V-O-A SCIENCE CORRESPONDENT DAVID MCALARY REPORTS, WITH ENDEAVOUR'S TIME ATTACHED TO THE STATION NEARING AN END, U-S SPACE AGENCY OFFICIALS SAY VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE GOALS OF THIS ASSEMBLY MISSION HAVE BEEN MET. TEXT: ONCE AGAIN, ASTRONAUTS JIM NEWMAN AND JERRY ROSS WERE UP, DOWN, AND ALL AROUND THE TWO SECTIONS OF THE STATION, CONSISTING OF THE U-S "UNITY" AND RUSSIAN "ZARYA" MODULES. BECAUSE ALL ESSENTIAL SPACEWALKING WORK OF THIS MISSION WAS COMPLETED EARLIER IN THE WEEK, NASA'S LEAD SPACEWALK OFFICER -- SCOTT BLEISATH ['BLY-SATH] -- SAYS THEY PERFORMED JOBS THAT PUT CONSTRUCTION AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. // BLEISATH ACTUALITY // THE MAIN PURPOSE FOR TODAY'S SPACEWALK WAS TO PREPARE THE EXTERIOR OF THE SPACE STATION FOR FUTURE MISSIONS, FOR FUTURE SPACEWALKS. WE DELIVERED A LARGE TOOL BAG, STRAPPED IT DOWN TO THE TOP OF THE "UNITY MODULE." THIS BAG CONTAINED A COUPLE OF DOZEN DIFFERENT SPACEWALKING TOOLS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR FUTURE CREWS. // END ACTUALITY // WITH PRECISION AND ON SCHEDULE, THE TWO CREWMEN ALSO UNPLUGGED POWER CABLES USED IN THE DOCKING OF UNITY TO ZARYA; INSTALLED HANDRAILS ON THE RUSSIAN MODULE TO HELP FUTURE SPACEWALKERS MOVE ABOUT; AND PHOTOGRAPHED THE EXTERIOR OF THE STATION FOR ENGINEERING REFERENCE. // OPT // JERRY ROSS -- LOOKING LIKE A SPACE TOURIST -- TOLD SHUTTLE COMMANDER BOB CABANA HANDLING THE CAMERA WAS DIFFICULT, WITH HIS BULKY SPACESUIT GLOVES. // OPT ROSS - CABANA ACTUALITY // [ROSS:] I'M TRYING TO FOCUS THIS CAMERA WITH GLOVES ON. GREAT. OKAY, I'M READY TO GO. [CABANA:] DO YOU NEED TO BE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE STRUCTURE? [ROSS:] NO, THIS WILL BE OKAY. [CABANA:] IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD SHOT, JERRY. // END OPTIONAL ACTUALITY // LATER, COMMANDER CABANA DIRECTED MR. ROSS AS HE TESTED A JET BACKPACK FUTURE STATION SPACEWALKERS WOULD USE TO RESCUE THEMSELVES IF THEIR TETHERS WERE TO BREAK AND LEAVE THEM STRANDED IN SPACE. // ROSS - CABANA ACT // [ROSS:] LET ME SEE -- A LEFT [TURN]. [CABANA:] YEAH, WE SEE YOU DRIFTING STARBOARD PRETTY WELL. WHY DON'T YOU COME LEFT AND SQUARE IT AWAY? [ROSS:] I'M COMING FORWARD A LITTLE BIT AND I'M GOING TO GO LEFT. [CABANA:] ROGER, THAT [UNDERSTOOD]. // END ACT // ASTRONAUT ROSS ALSO SUCCESSFULLY FREED THE SECOND OF TWO ANTENNAS THAT FAILED TO UNFURL COMPLETELY ON ZARYA AFTER ITS LAUNCH LAST MONTH. THIS WAS A CONTINGENCY TASK ADDED TO THE LIST ONLY AFTER THE SHUTTLE HAD JOINED THE U-S AND RUSSIAN SECTIONS ONE WEEK AGO. // OPT // MR. BLEISATH SAYS MR. ROSS USED THE SAME LONG RUSSIAN HOOKED POLE BOTH TIMES. // OPTIONAL BLEISATH ACTUALITY // THE ANTENNA TODAY REQUIRED A LITTLE BIT MORE POKING AND PRODDING THAN A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, BUT -- JUST AS WE SAW THEN -- THE ANTENNA EVENTUALLY DID DEPLOY. // END ACTUALITY // // OPT // WITH THE FINAL SPACEWALK OVER, FLIGHT DIRECTOR CASTLE SAYS THE STATION CONSTRUCTION TASKS PLANNED FOR THIS MISSION ARE NEARLY COMPLETE. // OPTIONAL CASTLE ACTUALITY // I'M VERY, VERY, VERY GRATIFIED TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT ESSENTIALLY ALL OF THE ASSEMBLY TASKS ARE DONE. THERE ARE STILL A FEW MORE THINGS TO DO ON THIS MISSION, AND THE MISSION ITSELF CERTAINLY ISN'T OVER. BUT AS FAR AS PUTTING TOGETHER THE FIRST ELEMENTS ON THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, WE'RE PRETTY CLOSE TO DONE. // END OPTIONAL ACTUALITY // THE NEXT MAJOR MANEUVER COMES LATER TODAY [3:25 PM EST, SUN., 12/13] WHEN ENDEAVOUR UNDOCKS FROM THE FLEDGLING SEVEN-STORY STATION AND LEAVES IT VACANT IN ORBIT FOR FIVE MONTHS. THE SHUTTLE IS TO RETURN TO EARTH EARLY WEDNESDAY, UNIVERSAL TIME, [10:56 P.M. EST TUES., 12/15]. (SIGNED) NEB / DEM / WD 13-Dec-98 1:01 AM EST (0601 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .