Atlantis 'nauts wrap boltastic first spacewalk

Atlantis spacewalkers Steve Bowen and Garrett Reisman wrapped their first STS-132 mission spacewalk at 19:19 GMT today, having spent seven hours and 25 minutes outside the ISS. Steve Bowen (right) and Garrett Reisman exit the ISS. Pic: NASA TV The pair successfully installed a second space-to-ground Ku-band antenna for the …

[Ben 42]

In fine El Reg fashion

"bolt traditionalists" = boltards?

[Tim #3]

Gap

Er, does the 1mm gap mean that they haven't done said boilts up tight enough? Or should we be discussing washers too?

[The_Police!]

Erm

I think we should be discussing washers as well!

[Tim #3]

Definitely

Sprung washers would be best methinks, just in case the ISS vibrates a bit.

[Dodgy Geezer]

Can we now update the classic newspaper headline..

of the maniac who raped some people at a launderette?

'Nut screws washers and bolts'...

Thank you - I'll be at my desk till lunchtime...

[Anonymous Coward]

Mmmm...

"strapped the antenna and boom together to secure the two components."

I want to know, what colour gaffer tape did they use, nice shiny silver or a functional black?

[Tim #3]

Silver

Silver is definitely stickier. However, just how do they begin peeling it off the roll in those somewhat bulky gloves? Is there a false fingernail attached to the outside of them?

[Tom Chiverton 1]

Moon tape

They managed to do it on the Moon OK...

[Echelon_watches]

WTF

How can it be 1mm ???

The colonials always use Imperial measurement Units.

It should be 0.0394 INCHES gap !!!!

Oh and I trust the nuts for said bolts are castellated for safety.

[Edwin]

Cotter pin

Did you every try to fit a cotter pin while wearing spacesuit gloves? I mean, they're hard enough to get in with your bare hands!

Didn't the airline industry use to use pairs of counter-rotating bolts with a wire between so that if one loosened, the other tightened? What about using those?

[Tim #3]

Excellent

They don't have to be counter-rotating, you can lockwire any two bolts together like that if you follow a certain method. However, as the ISS needs more left-hand threads then it is an admirable idea.

[Edwin]

Traditionalist?

I realise that this new-fangled iBolt rage makes my views on threads seem somewhat old hat, but I'd like to point out that traditionally, a number of very common threads are left handed.

For instance, a pair of bicycle pedals has opposing threads to avoid them falling off mid-ride. Although not the direction you'd expect, but why that is requires a swivelling bar stool and several pints to explain.

Anyway, I'd like to know if there will be an AppStore for the iBolt that restricts the permitted applications of NASA's iBolts? I could imagine the solar panel mounts are too Flashy and would require e.g. duct tape.

Man, I'm starting to feel like amanfrommars....