A “sticky” foothold and a cussed strut prompted issues for 2 spacewalking astronauts as they labored to organize the Worldwide Area Station (ISS) for the addition of two extra upgraded solar arrays.
Expedition 68 crewmates Nicole Mann of NASA and Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Company (JAXA) performed the 7 hour and 21 minute extravehicular exercise (EVA) on Friday (Jan. 20). The 2 astronauts took their spacesuits to battery energy and exited the station’s U.S. Quest airlock to start the spacewalk at 8:14 a.m. EST (1314 GMT).
The most recent in a collection of EVAs devoted to reinforce the orbiting advanced’s energy channels with new International Space Station Roll-Out Photo voltaic Arrays (iROSAs), Mann and Wakata’s major goals have been to finish the set up of two mounting platforms on the starboard aspect of the station’s spine truss.
After configuring their tethers and gathering their instruments, the 2 spacewalkers started their work by heading off to 2 totally different worksites. Wakata first centered on tightening the bolts on a iROSA mounting platform that was put in for the 1A energy channel throughout an earlier spacewalk as Mann delivered the instruments and gear for the meeting of a brand new mount to assist the 1B energy channel.
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Assembly up, the 2 astronauts then started erecting the brand new triangle-shaped platform. To raised place herself to bolt the mount items collectively, Mann used an articulating transportable foot restraint, or APFR — although not with out some bother.
“This APFR is so glad I bought ingressed, it doesn’t need to let me go!” radioed Mann after needing Wakata’s assist to get her ft located within the machine. Wakata once more moved over to her location to assist her get free, after which they each spent a number of minutes and appreciable pressure to reconfigure the foothold, which Mission Management acknowledged had a recognized “sticky” patch.
The additional time wanted to work with the AFPR left the 2 astronauts about 45 minutes behind of their timeline.
Whereas working to assemble the brand new mount, Wakata and Mann have been capable of piece collectively three of the 4 parts efficiently. The higher strut, iROSA mounting bracket and decrease strut got here collectively as anticipated, however the center (or mid) strut wouldn’t seat appropriately. After spending a while making an attempt to troubleshoot the issue, Mission Management known as the try off.
“We will wrap up,” radioed astronaut Zena Cardman, who served because the spacewalk’s capcom (or communicator) from inside Mission Management in Houston. “We have to get into some cleanup steps and get you guys again inside. So what we wish you to do is compress that mid-strut [and] get it again in your strut bag.”
The set up of the mid-strut can be left for one more spacewalk.
The ISS Roll-Out Photo voltaic Arrays are being put in in entrance of, and partially overlying, the station’s present, barely degraded solar panel wings. When utilized in tandem and as soon as all six iROSAs are in place, the upgraded energy system will enhance the station’s electrical energy provide by 20 to 30%.
Up to now, 4 of the six iROSA assemblies have been deployed and are in working order. The 1A and IB energy channels are the final to be augmented. The arrays for these two channels are nonetheless to be launched to the space station later this yr.
Wakata and Mann reentered the Quest airlock, closed the hatch and started repressurization at 3:35 p.m. EST (2035 GMT), ending the EVA.
The spacewalk was the primary for each Mann and Wakata, in addition to the primary performed this yr. It was the fifth EVA performed throughout Expedition 68 and 258th general in assist of ISS meeting and upkeep.
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