CAPE CANAVERAL: Astronauts took their second spacewalk in two weeks on Thursday, taking care of some long overdue radiator work outside the International Space Station.
Commander Jeffrey Williams used a power drill-type tool to fold up a 44-foot-long thermal radiator that's no longer in use. Spacewoman Kate Rubins floated nearby, making sure Williams was clear of the panel as it slowly retracted, accordion style.
With the radiator closed all the way, they cinched it down in four spots for safekeeping. Nasa wants to preserve the radiator as a spare. Outstretched, it was at greater risk of getting hit with space junk.
The radiator was extended in 2012 to help stop a coolant leak. But the leak ended up being elsewhere. Another team of astronauts attempted the radiator retraction late last year, but couldn't complete the job, so it fell into Williams and Rubins' gloved hands. The radiator is part of the 250-mile-high lab's heat-dispelling system.
The two US astronauts installed a new docking port during a spacewalk on August 19.
Williams returns to Earth next week. He already holds the Nasa record for most accumulated time in orbit; his tally will reach 534 days over four missions by the time he's back on Earth.