Astronauts ‘hammer’ home successful mission

SPACEWALKING astronauts had to pull out a hammer and pry bar while attaching a big, new tank full of ammonia coolant to the International Space Station yesterday, successfully driving in a stiff bolt after two frustrating hours.

The 346km-high action unfolded on the 40th anniversary of the launch of Apollo 13.

Making their second spacewalk in three days, Rick Mastracchio and Clayton Anderson banged and pulled and shoved, with no success, on the stuck bolt. They undid the good bolts and jostled the 1,700-pound, refrigerator-size tank in case it was misaligned. Finally, the troublesome bolt slid into its slot.