Dateline: 08/19/07
Canadian Space Records for Dave Williams
Canadian astronaut Dave Williams made a third space walk on August 18, 2007, setting a record as the first Canadian to have made three space walks. That's one more than Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield made in 2001. Dave Williams also became the Canadian record holder for the number of hours spent outside in space. With a total time of 17 hours and 47 minutes, Dave Williams surpassed Chris Hadfield's time of 14 hours and 56 minutes.
Dave Williams set his records on space mission STS-118, a trip on board space shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission delivered cargo and supplies to the space station, delivered and installed a truss section for a solar power array to give the space station more power, and also replaced a gyroscope, one of four electrically powered turbines used to steer and stabilize the space station.
Although this is the first time Dave Williams has made a space walk, it's his second space mission. He was also a mission specialist on space shuttle Colombia in 1998.
Dave Williams' First Space Walk
Dave Williams' first space walk took place on August 11, 2007, Day 4 of space mission STS-118. Dave Williams and partner Rick Mastracchio guided Charles Hobaugh as he used the robotic Canadarm 2 to move a truss segment to its attachment point. Williams and Mastracchio then attached the truss segment to the backbone of the ISS with bolts and electrical connectors.
The astronauts walked along the ISS backbone holding on to guide rails until they got to the centre of the ISS. From there they climbed to the top of the ISS and folded a solar panel heat radiator and stowed it for future use.
The space walk took about 6.5 hours.
Dave Williams' Second Space Walk
On August 13, 2007, Day 6 of space mission STS-118, Dave Williams made his second space walk. For most of the space walk Williams rode on Canadarm 2 as he and U.S. crewmate Rick Mastracchio successfully installed a new gyroscope on the international space station.
Using just his arms, Dave Williams picked up the replacement gyroscope, about the size of a washing machine, from Endeavour's payload bay, and carried it slowly over into position on the ISS. He and Mastracchio then installed it.
The space walk lasted about six hours.
Dave Williams' Third Space Walk
Dave Williams' third space walk was on August 18, 2007, when he and Flight Engineer Clay Anderson performed a series of tasks outside the ISS, including installing an External Wireless Instrumentation System antenna and installing a stand for the shuttle’s robotic arm extension boom.
The space walk lasted nearly five hours. NASA shortened the space walk by about two hours so Endeavour could prepare to return to Earth a day early before Hurricane Dean became a factor.
