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2 Teachers Make Mission's Final Walk

By the Associated Press

Posted Mar 23, 2009 4:58 PM CDT

(AP) – Two astronauts who were teaching math and science to middle school students just 5 years ago went on a spacewalk together today, their path cleared of dangerous orbiting junk that had threatened the space station and shuttle. It's the first time two former schoolteachers have been on a spacewalk together, and is the third and final spacewalk for shuttle Discovery's mission.

Astronauts Joseph Acaba and Richard Arnold II had no luck trying to free up a jammed equipment storage shelf at the international space station, one of their main tasks. Using a hammer, they managed to loosen a pin that Acaba and another astronaut accidentally inserted upside down on the platform during Saturday's spacewalk. But the shelf mechanism would not extend into the proper position, despite repeated efforts.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (2)]

Another shot of the 2nd EVA. (AP Photo)

Astronaut Joseph Acaba makes a space walk outside the international space station today. (AP Photo)

The 2nd EVA, on Saturday. (AP Photo)

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Watch a live feed of the Discovery mission at the international space station. (msnbc)

To facilitate the walk, the shuttle and the station moved to avoid space debris. (MSNBC)

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