Spacewalkers tackle station maintenance

Astronauts get ISS ready to operate once shuttle program concludes

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida - Two of NASA's most experienced spacewalkers floated outside the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday for some preventive maintenance to help get the station ready to operate after the shuttle program ends this summer.

Shuttle Endeavour astronauts Drew Feustel and Mike Fincke left the station's Quest airlock at about 2:15 am EDT to begin the second of four spacewalks planned during Endeavour's 16-day mission, the next-to-last in the US space shuttle program.