In this image taken on Feb. 28, 2011, NASA astronaut Alvin Drew participates in the STS-133 mission’s first spacewalk as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station. During the six-hour, 34-minute spacewalk, Drew and NASA astronaut Steve Bowen (out of frame) installed the J612 power extension cable, moved a failed ammonia pump module to the External Stowage Platform 2 on the Quest Airlock for return to Earth at a later date, installed a camera wedge on the right hand truss segment, installed extensions to the mobile transporter rail and exposed the Japanese “Message in a Bottle” experiment to space.
Drew flew on two space shuttle missions, STS-118 (Aug. 8 -21, 2007) and STS-133 (Feb. 24 – March 9, 2011). STS-118 was the 119th space shuttle flight, the 22nd flight to the station, and the 20th flight for Endeavour. During the mission Endeavour’s crew successfully added another truss segment, a new gyroscope and external spare parts platform to the space station. STS-133 was the 39th and final mission for Space Shuttle Discovery. During the 13-day flight, the Discovery crew delivered the Permanent Multipurpose Module and the fourth Express Logistics Carrier to the station. The crew also delivered critical spare components including Robonaut 2, or R2, the first human-like robot in space.
Prior to NASA, Drew was U.S. Air Force pilot with more than 25 years experience. Colonel Drew retired from the Air Force in September 2010. He has more than 3,500 hours flying experience and has piloted 30 different types of aircraft.
Video: Down to Earth- To the Moon and Beyond. In this is the final episode of Season 1 of Down to Earth, Alvin Drew recounts the wonder of viewing planet Earth from space, and the necessity to keep pushing the bounds of exploration.
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Image Credit: NASA