French and American astronauts have conducted a 6-hour spacewalk to install new solar panels, enhancing the power supply capabilities for the International Space Station (ISS).
“Every time we do this requires a tremendous effort from the entire team, and I couldn’t be happier to see Shane Kimbrough back,” the Guardian quoted French astronaut Thomas Pesquet on June 20.
Astronaut Shane Kimbrough from NASA and astronaut Thomas Pesquet from the European Space Agency worked together on this mission.
The two astronauts arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) at the end of April and powered on their spacesuits to begin the spacewalk at 11:42 GMT.
After unlocking the ISS hatch, they proceeded to position and install 6 new generation solar panels, known as iROSA, for the station’s main power array.
The International Space Station is equipped with a total of 8 solar arrays, with 4 panels on each side, providing up to 120 kilowatts of power to the station’s 8 main circuits.
As the 6-and-a-half-hour spacewalk concluded, astronaut Kimbrough, who has three children, sent Father’s Day wishes to all the staff at the space center. “Thank you for working with us on Sunday.”
Astronauts conducting a spacewalk to replace solar panels for the space station. (Photo: NASA).
The new solar panels will help the aging space station enhance its electricity supply, meeting the needs of visitors who pay to visit the station or conduct experiments. The first of these visits will be a Russian film crew this coming fall.
- Transported to space by SpaceX earlier this month, the new generation solar panels will gradually replace the station’s oldest power-generating panels, which have been in continuous operation for over 20 years.
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