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Astronaut's spacewalk pivotal
Monday, February 12, 2001 By John G. Radzilowicz, director, Henry Buhl, Jr. Planetarium & Observatory
The space shuttle Atlantis is docked to the International Space Station, and astronauts are completing the most important part of the station construction to date.
When the Atlantis crew arrived a few days ago, they brought with them Destiny - the U.S. laboratory module. With Destiny attached to ISS, the station moves into a new phase of operation. Destiny will allow full command and control of ISS from Moscow and Houston. It also provides the key operation center for scientific research aboard the ISS.
The connection of Destiny to ISS requires three difficult spacewalks by astronauts Tom Jones and Robert L. Curbeam Jr.
An African American, the 38-year-old Cmdr. Curbeam is on his second space flight since joining the astronaut corps in 1995. He was born and raised in Baltimore and received his degree in engineering from the Naval Academy. He earned his master's degree in aeronautical engineering from the Naval Post-Graduate School.
Curbeam began his military career as a fighter pilot aboard the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal. He also graduated from Navy Fighter Weapons School and the Navy Test Pilot School. He became an instructor at the Naval Academy in 1994 and was on that assignment when he was accepted by NASA.
Curbeam said one of the most important factors in his deciding to become an astronaut was his desire to spacewalk. He said he can't imagine any feeling more awe-inspiring than sailing through space at 17,000 mph, free of your spacecraft, with nothing between you and Earth. He has spent years preparing for this moment, and during this mission he will make three extended spacewalks - all key to the future of ISS.
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