astronaut in the space suit
Science News

NASA Astronauts to Conduct Seven-Hour Spacewalk as ISS Expedition Crew Continues Research

NASA Astronauts to Conduct Seven-Hour Spacewalk- NASA mission managers have given the green light for two astronauts to make a seven-hour spacewalk from the International Space Station (ISS) on Thursday, February 2, 2023.

NASA Astronauts to Conduct Seven-Hour Spacewalk as ISS Expedition Crew Continues Research
Photo by Blue Arauz on Pexels.com

While preparations were in full swing for their spacewalk, astronaut Nicole Mann and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Koichi Wakata switched over their EMUs to battery power and exited Quest airlock into space, traveling towards Starboard-4 traverse. Once there, astronauts will finish installing rebuild kit that began on January 20th to prepare the station for solar array rollout shortly thereafter.

On Wednesday morning, Mann and Wakata started setting up the spacesuit and its parts for Quest. NASA Flight Engineer Frank Rubio then joined them to gather all necessary tools and hardware before performing a final procedure review and meeting with ground experts. Roscosmos flight engineer Anna Kikina provided them with cosmic dosimeters to attach to their suits. NASA TV will broadcast live coverage of the spacewalk starting at 6:45 a.m. Thursday via its app and website.

NASA flight engineer Josh Cassada collected and processed a blood sample, then stored it in a scientific freezer for later analysis. Cassada then installed advanced research hardware and an ultra-high definition video camera, moving two TangoLab facilities for space research from Destiny Labs module research rack to Columbus Labs module research rack.

TangoLab Cube Modules enable research in a variety of fields, such as microbiology and chemistry. Cassada even watered tomato plants for space plant research project Veg-05. Rubio installed his Sphere Camera-1 on Destiny to evaluate its ultra-high definition capabilities which could prove valuable for future space travelers for vehicle inspections and Earth/space observations.

Commander Sergey Prokopiev tested the 3D printer, verifying its performance under computer control. Roscosmos Flight Engineer Dmitry Petelin worked all day to fill up ISS Progress 82 supply vessel with trash and discarded equipment before replacing Air He filter in Zvezda service module.

After handing over radiation detectors, Kikina operated European robotic arm in test mode module in Nauka’s multi-purpose laboratory. The 68th Expedition crew’s ongoing research shows their dedication to exploring space’s limits while conducting important scientific experiments that could shape future space travel.

Current Science News