Two astronauts are venturing outside the International Space Station today in the first of three planned spacewalks for the STS-132 mission. They are installing a second station space-to-ground Ku-band antenna and a spare parts platform on Dextre, the two-armed robotic Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator.

Mission Specialists Garrett Reisman and Stephen Bowen began the planned 6.5-hour spacewalk at 7:54 a.m. EDT. Mission Specialist Michael Good and Pilot Tony Antonelli, the intravehicular officer, are assisting the spacewalkers from inside the orbiting complex. Support for robotic arm operations is being provided by Mission Specialist Piers Sellers and Flight Engineer Tracy Caldwell Dyson.

Meanwhile, Commander Ken Ham is overseeing the activities and work on transfer of supplies to the station