CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Astronauts successfully carried out one last spacewalk Monday, finishing an unprecedented clean and lube job that they began a week ago at the international space station.
Spacewalker Stephen Bowen wrapped up work on a jammed solar-wing rotary joint as his partner, Shane Kimbrough, squirted some extra grease as a precaution on another joint that is working fine.
In this image from NASA TV, astronaut Stephen Bowen is seen during a space walk outside the International Space Station, Monday, Nov. 24, 2008. The spacewalk marks the fourth and final spacewalk of space shuttle Endeavour's nearly two-week visit to the orbiting outpost. [Agencies]
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When the repairs to the gummed-up joint were deemed complete, Mission Control radioed up its applause.
"Finally," Bowen exclaimed. "Thanks for your work," replied Mission Control, erupting in laughter.
Just before Monday's spacewalk began, NASA added a 16th day to space shuttle Endeavour's mission. Managers wanted to give the astronauts more time to fix a machine that's supposed to turn urine into drinking water; additional repairs were performed Monday for the fifth day in a row.
The $154 million recycling equipment was delivered by Endeavour, along with other home makeover items needed to expand the space station crew to six next year.
Monday's spacewalk was the fourth for Endeavour's astronauts, and it lasted more than six hours. Greasy repair work on the clogged joint consumed most of their time on all four outings.
