NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins and Victor Glover took a spacewalk Saturday in front of the International Space Station to improve the lab’s communications and cooling systems. The walk, which took place about 250 miles above the ground, lasted about seven hours.
Struggling with bulky electrical connectors, Hopkins managed to connect and secure three of four thick data and power cables needed by a European experiment platform during a space challenge, leaving one cable for additional troubleshooting.
Hopkins and his crewmate, Victor Glover, also ejected the residual ammonia coolant from two bridges that were used to service the station’s thermal control system, storing the hoses in different locations for use. future if necessary. A jumper threw more ammonia ice crystals than expected when it was ventilated into space, but astronauts said their suits did not appear to be contaminated with flakes that could return to the station.
Floating on the Quest peg, Hopkins and Glover began their Saturday outing when they changed their space suits to the battery at 8:14 a.m. EST, and began the 237th spacewalk dedicated to assembling and maintaining the station. since construction began in 1998.
The first task on the agenda was the safe ventilation of the two ammonia bridges, which were used to load refrigerant into the station’s thermal control system and to help locate leaks. The bridges were located at the far left of the laboratory’s solar energy, a segment known as port 6 or P6.
After confirming that there was no contamination with ammonia ice crystals, the space walkers saved a bridge in the P6 segment for any future troubleshooting that may be necessary on this side of the station, while the other it was mounted off the plug to use if needed later on the right side.
“Of course, when it comes to ammonia, extra vigilance is needed because of the concern that if we could get ammonia contamination into the suits and wear the indoor station, this could represent a potentially toxic atmosphere situation for the crew and the station, ”spacewalk previously said flight director Chris Edelen.
With ventilation and relocation of the bridge, Glover installed a spare wireless camera transceiver near the Unity core module while Hopkins was working on the front end of the station where the Columbus lab module is connected. the European Space Agency.
An external experimentation platform known as Bartolomeo was previously connected to the front of Columbus, but space walkers had trouble completing electrical connections during a previous outing. Hopkins struggled to complete the job on Saturday, but eventually got it with three of four wires.
NASA Television
Glover replaced a wireless camera transceiver and connected a booster to a flexible thermal cover on the outer hatch of the Quest security door. He complained of an unusual irritation that briefly caused him to tear his right eye, but said repeated blinking seemed to help.
Hopkins also reconfigured a HAM radio antenna in the European Columbus module that did not work properly after a recent upgrade and both spacewalkers began work to route two ethernet cables that would eventually form part of a wi-fi network. extended external.
NASA Television
NASA Television
“Coupled! It’s already in the center,” Hopkins called as he connected and locked the first bulky connector. “Very well! And the crowd goes wild!”
“Good job, wow, excellent,” Andreas Mogensen responded from mission control. “Good news.”
“I would say touchdown, but he played on the wrong side,” Glover quipped, referring to Hopkins ’college football career as the University of Illinois defensive back.
“From time to time we made interceptions,” Hopkins said.
The external video transceiver set, or WETA, installed by Glover is one of three mounted around the outside of the station. The unit in question failed late last year.
“It’s essentially an antenna that receives the transmissions from the helmet cameras of the crew members,” Edelen said. “Really … we’re grateful to have this in control of the mission during the EVAs so we can have the perspective of the crew members to see exactly what they’re working on. So we definitely want to … replace this so we have coverage.”
All major tasks were initially scheduled for spacewalk earlier this month, but were postponed after the assembly of two solar grid support accessories took longer than expected.
The spacewalk ended at 3:01 p.m., lasting six hours and 47 minutes. The total space walk time of the station through 237 excursions is now 1,491 hours and 54 minutes, or 62.2 days.
This was Glover’s fourth career and Hopkins ’fifth.