Six seconds
1. Attach
pulley. 2. Attach sync cable. 3. Release mechanics wire.
1. Attach pulley. 2. Attach sync cable. 3. Release mechanics wire.
1. Attach pulley. 2. Attach sync cable. 3. Release mechanics wire.
1. Attach pulley. 2. Attach sync cable. 3. Release mechanics wire.
1. Attach pulley. 2. Attach sync cable. 3. Release mechanics wire.
Reynolds had these steps drilled into him at the Academy, then by NASA's flight command, then by the hundreds of hours he had logged in simulators. There were no documented reports of shuttle personnel being lost or abandoned, either by NASA or a foreign agency. Analysts projected that the astronaut would float adrift without means of rescuing himself, and depending on the nature of the separation, he would continue to float for over 2 kilometers before death. The suit would slowly decompress, with no means for the astronaut to bring a quicker resolution to the agony. Approximately ninety minutes to contemplate, then suffocate. It had never happened. They were determined that it never would.
After surveying the malfunctioning solar panel, Reynolds maneuvered to the far end of the shuttle and radioed to be let in. He waited for the reply, and floated. Silence. More silent than he had ever heard. He was raised a city kid, and wasn't used to it. The Earth glowed beneath him.
He heard a rumble from within the shuttle. It wasn't right. The bay door whipped open. Reynolds watched as it cleanly severed his mechanics wire.
He didn't say much. At first, he uttered something that sounded more like a diaphragm reflex than anything intentional. He floated, completely still, without moving. He couldn't try to swim or thrash around, it would do no good. He could only hope.
Seconds passed.
He primed his arm to reach for a fuselage handle. He stared at it, then shot his hand out.
It caught. He clawed his way into the bay and watched the door close behind him. Mission Control would later report that his heart rate did not drop to normal levels for another twenty-seven minutes.