Spacewalkers Install Dextre on ISS

17 March 2008

Dextre, the final element of the International Space Station’s Mobile Servicing System, was put together today during the second spacewalk of STS-123. Mission Specialists Richard Linnehan and Mike Foreman completed their 7-hour, 8-minute orbital stroll Sunday at 2:57 a.m. EDT.

Mission Specialists Rick Linnehan and Mike Foreman work with the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator during the second spacewalk of the STS-123 mission.

The two spacewalkers assembled the stick-figure-shaped Dextre, also known as the Special Purpose Dextrous Manipulator (SPDM), a task that included attaching its two arms.

Designed for station maintenance and service, Dextre is capable of sensing forces and movement of objects it is manipulating. It can automatically compensate for those forces and movements to ensure an object is moved smoothly. Dextre's arms are 3.3 meters long.

Astonaunts plan to finish assembling the $200 million robot during a third spacewalk set to start on Monday.

Throughout the day, the station and shuttle crew members continued outfitting the Japanese Logistics Module - Pressurized Section (JLP). The JLP is the first pressurized component of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Kibo laboratory and the newest component of the station.