Twitpics From Space By Douglas H. Wheelock

Wheelock served as mission specialist on STS-120, where he and crew member Scott Parazynski moved two solar arrays to a new location on the ISS. One of the solar arrays tore when was expanded and had to be sown up with a cuff-link type of mechanism.
Wheelock is currently serving at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center (GCTC) in Star City, Russia. In January 2005, he was assigned as NASA’s Director of Operations – Russia. He is responsible for supporting Russia-based training, logistic, and administrative needs of NASA astronauts preparing for flight on the ISS. Wheelock is the primary liaison between Star City and NASA operations in Houston, including medical, training, science, contracting, public affairs, and administration departments. He is also responsible for liaison duties between NASA and the Russian Space Agency, as well as the Russian aerospace industry.
Wheelock is qualified to fly aboard the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. He has completed qualification in the Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Skills program as well as the Canadian Space Agency MSS Robotics Operator (MRO) course. He is currently completing qualification as a Flight Engineer in the Russian Soyuz spacecraft.
Wheelock is assigned to Expedition 24, launched to the ISS on 15 June 2010 aboard TMA-19 and, together with fellow-astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson, undertook an 8hr 3min spacewalk to repair a failed ammonia pump module on 7 August 2010. He is due to return to Earth in November 2010.