STS-104 Extravehicular Activities

The STS-104 crew conducted three space walks while at the International Space Station. The main objective of the space walks was to install the U.S. Airlock. Learn more about the space walks required to build the International Space Station.

EVA Astronauts and Suit ID
Michael Gernhardt: Red stripes
James Reilly: Solid white suit

Shuttle Robot Arm Operator
Janet Kavandi

Space Station Robot Arm Operators
Susan Helms
Jim Voss

Space Walk Coordinator
Charles Hobaugh

EVA 1
Michael Gernhardt, James Reilly
Actual Time: 5 hours, 59 minutes
Actual Start Time: 10:10 p.m. CDT, July 14, 2001
Actual End Time: 4:09 a.m. CDT, July 15, 2001

Space walkers Michael Gernhardt and James Reilly assisted space station robot arm operator Susan Helms with the installation of the Joint Airlock onto the station. The first major tasks for the space walkers were removing an insulating cover from the airlock's Common Berthing Mechanism and removing protective covers from the berthing mechanism's seals while the airlock was still inside Atlantis' payload bay. They installed high-pressure gas tank attachment points and thermal covers onto the airlock. Then, they disconnected a power cable from the airlock. Helms lifted the airlock out of Atlantis' payload bay as the two space walkers waited inside the shuttle's airlock. When the Joint Airlock was near its attachment point on the station, Gernhardt and Reilly went back outside to provide assistance in the berthing process. Once the airlock was attached, Gernhardt connected a cable to it to power heaters.

EVA 2
Michael Gernhardt, James Reilly
Actual Time: 6 hours, 29 minutes
Actual Start Time: 10:04 p.m. CDT, July 17, 2001
Actual End Time: 4:33 a.m. CDT, July 18, 2001

The major objective of STS-104's second space walk was the installation of three High-Pressure Gas Tanks - two oxygen tanks and one nitrogen tank - onto the Joint Airlock. Gernhardt released the latches holding the first tank in the payload bay to allow the station's robot arm, Canadarm2, to lift the tanks up to the airlock. Meanwhile, Reilly installed foot platforms and handrails on the airlock. Then, Reilly and Gernhardt took each tank as Helms released it from the arm. They attached each to the airlock and then connected cables from the airlock to the tank. As Reilly connected cables between the airlock and the tanks, Gernhardt placed insulating covers on several airlock fixtures.

EVA 3
Michael Gernhardt, James Reilly
Actual Time: 4 hours, 2 minutes
Actual Start Time: 11:35 p.m. CDT, July 20, 2001
Actual End Time: 3:37 a.m. CDT, July 21, 2001

The third space walk was the first based out of the space station's new Joint Airlock. The major objective of the mission's third space walk was to install the fourth High-Pressure Gas Tank - a nitrogen tank. The steps to complete this task mirrored the steps taken during the mission's second space walk. Also, during the space walk, the space walkers attached a cable to the airlock that will allow communications with Russian space suits, installed handholds on the airlock and installed thermal covers on the exterior gas tanks' grapple fixtures.