Stinging Eye Almost Derails Spacewalk

Astronaut Andrew Feustel has an eye irritation ... 220 miles up
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted May 25, 2011 11:48 AM CDT
Spacewalking Astronaut Andrew Feustel Gets 'Something' in Eye
In this image taken from NASA television spacewalker Mike Fincke repositions himself on the International Space Station after laying power cables and adding a robot arm attachment during the third space walk early Wednesday May 25, 2011.    ((AP Photo/NASA))

Eyelash, space dust, tears … who knows what was, but an astronaut today got something in his eye that stung "like crazy"—and almost interrupted a spacewalk. Several minutes later, Andrew Feustel assured everyone his eye was feeling better and the third spacewalk of the Endeavour continued as planned. The incident came as the spacewalk hit the five-hour mark. Feustel and Mike Fincke had just finished running power cables from the US side of the orbiting house to the Russian half. Feustel managed to rub his eye against a strap in his helmet and said that helped.

Spacewalkers noted that the problem with tears in space is that "they don't fall off of your eye ... they kind of stay there." The Endeavor is scheduled to land for the last time on June 1. NASA will close out the 30-year shuttle program in July with one last mission by Atlantis. (Click to read more on the Endeavor's rather eventful final mission.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X