Discovery repaired in historic spacewalk

HOUSTON, United States (AFP) — US astronaut Stephen Robinson carried out a risky repair to Discovery, pulling out two ceramic fibers that experts feared could have caused the shuttle to overheat when it returns to Earth.

But experts have still not decided what to do about a thermal blanket below the cockpit that is also causing concern.

Dangling at the end of a 58 feet (17.7 meters) long robotic arm with a hacksaw and forceps, Robinson became the first astronaut to carry out a spacewalk beneath the shuttle during orbit.

He easily pulled out the two problematic protruding pieces of ceramic fiber under the nose of Discovery within minutes of each other.

"I am just putting it in my trash bag," he said just after triumphantly holding up the first fiber to cameras following the mission.

Robinson was accompanied on the six hour and one minute walk outside the ...