posted 06-25-2020 05:33 PM               

ISS Expedition 63: U.S. Spacewalk 65

NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and Bob Behnken are scheduled to exit the International Space Station's Quest airlock Friday (June 26) for a spacewalk to replace batteries to upgrade the power supply capability.

The duo will set their spacesuits to battery power at about 7:35 a.m. EDT (1135 GMT), signifying the start of their spacewalk, which may last as long as seven hours. The two will work to replace existing nickel-hydrogen batteries on one of two power channels on the far starboard truss (S6 Truss) of the station with new lithium-ion batteries that arrived on a Japanese HTV cargo ship last month.

The battery replacement work is the final series of power upgrade spacewalks that began in January 2017.

This will be the 228th spacewalk in support of space station assembly and maintenance. Cassidy will be extravehicular crew member 1, wearing the spacesuit with red stripes. Behnken will be extravehicular crew member 2, wearing the spacesuit with no stripes. It will be the seventh spacewalk for each astronaut.

posted 06-25-2020 05:35 PM               

Chris Cassidy and Bob Behnken set their spacesuits to battery power at 7:32 a.m. EDT on Friday (June 26), marking the beginning of the spacewalk.

posted 06-26-2020 12:52 PM               

Cassidy and Behnken Conclude Spacewalk to Replace Batteries

NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and Robert Behnken concluded their spacewalk on Friday (June 26) at 1:39 p.m. EDT (1739 GMT), after 6 hours and 7 minutes.

The two NASA astronauts completed all the work planned for this first of four spacewalks to replace batteries that provide power for the station's solar arrays on the starboard truss of the complex as well as initial tasks originally planned for the second scheduled spacewalk next Wednesday (July 1). The new batteries provide an improved and more efficient power capacity for operations.

The spacewalkers removed five of six aging nickel-hydrogen batteries for one of two power channels for the starboard 6 (S6) truss, installed two of three new lithium-ion batteries, and installed two of three associated adapter plates that are used to complete the power circuit to the new batteries. Mission control reports that the two new batteries are working.

Cassidy and Behnken are scheduled to complete the upgrade to this initial power channel during their second spacewalk together, during which they will install one more lithium-ion battery and one more adapter plate and remove the sixth nickel-hydrogen battery that will no longer be used.

This was the seventh spacewalk for both astronauts. Cassidy now has spent a total of 37 hours and 21 minutes spacewalking, and Behnken has spent a total of 43 hours and 40 minutes spacewalking.

Space station crew members have conducted 228 spacewalks in support of assembly and maintenance of the orbiting laboratory. Spacewalkers have now spent a total of 59 days, 18 hours, and 33 minutes working outside the station.

posted 06-26-2020 08:41 PM               

Chris Cassidy said the mirror quickly floated away. The lost item posed no risk to either the spacewalk or the station, according to NASA.

Spacewalking astronauts wear a wrist mirror on each sleeve to get better views while working. The mirror is just 5-by-3 inches (7-by-12 centimeters), and together with its band has a mass of barely one-tenth of a pound (50 grams).

The mirror came loose in darkness. Cassidy inspected his spacesuit sleeve later in sunlight but didn't see any clues that might explain how the mirror came off.