Covering NASA: Go Big, and Go High-Energy

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ROBERT SIEGEL, host:

Astronauts spent seven hours and eleven minutes today doing something that most of us will never get to do, walking in space, and they found themselves in a situation that almost all of us have experienced. They lost a bolt.

Mr. STEVE MACLEAN (Astronaut, Atlantis): All four bolts were there. And then when I went to put it back on, I had three of them tacked and went to tack the fourth one underneath and it was not there.

SIEGEL: That was astronaut Steve MacLean explaining the big news in space today.

MICHELE NORRIS, host:

And as mundane as it may seem, NASA managed to produce hours of commentary. Here are some of the other highlights from the week in space.

(Soundbite of NASA recording)

Unidentified Announcer: Airlock of pressure now down to 1.2 pounds per square inch. His first stop on the way is to grab an articulating portable foot restraint, APFR. Mission specialist Steve MacLean now has ungrappled the P3, P4 truss element and is moving outboard.

SIEGEL: Now after listening to play by play like that, you might think that it could use a little spicing up. Maybe a color guy ala TV sports coverage.

(Soundbite of music)

Mr. LOU OHANDLEN(ph) (SpaceCenter): Welcome back to SpaceCenter. Lou Ohandlen here in the skybox. Kyle Herring is with us at Mission Control. And Kyle, couldn't be a nicer day up there, clear as a bell. And an exciting day, you've got the lineup.

Mr. KYLE HERRING (Mission Control): First out the hatch is Joe Tanner for the spacewalk today. He'll be wearing an EMU or extravehicular mobility unit with red solid stripes around the pant legs and a red stripe up on top of the backpack.

Mr. OHANDLEN: You know Joe Tanner has worn that backpack at every event since the spectacular show he gave us in Houston. Wow! You know I used to make my kids wear stripes on their backpack, but one day, my wife probably doesn't want me to tell you this, but Charlie came home with literally a wedgie he's not going to forget until his 40th birthday. Now we should mention to the people watching at home that this will be a -

Mr. HERRING: This will be a very well choreographed spacewalk with a significant amount of preplanned activity on the station side of the house to be conducted.

Mr. OHANDLEN: And Kyle, not only preplanned, but as you said to me back on the launch pad, actually pre-organized is what it is. So folks we want to remind you we're going to be back in a bit but we want to tell you about our special two hour recap tonight primetime of the day's events with NASA TV's own Star Jones. She'll be here, we'll be here, you should be here too. Stick around, we'll be right back.

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