NASA astronaut Nicole Mann and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata began a spacewalk at 7:45 a.m. EST, approximately 30 minutes ahead of schedule, to complete the construction of a mounting platform on the 1A power channel that was started during a spacewalk on Jan. 20, relocate and install an articulating portable foot restraint from the P6 truss for future spacewalk tasks, and if time permits, complete cable routing on the 1B power channel.
The installation is part of a series of spacewalks to augment the station’s power channels with new International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (iROSAs). Four iROSAs have been installed so far, and two additional arrays will be mounted to the installed platforms during future spacewalks following their arrival later this year on SpaceX’s 28th commercial resupply services mission for NASA.
Mann, designated extravehicular crew member 1, is wearing a suit with red stripes. Wakata, designated extravehicular crew member 2, is wearing an unmarked suit. The spacewalk is the second for both Mann and Wakata.
Coverage of the spacewalk continues on NASA Television, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.
Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on Twitter, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.
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