US astronauts in six hour spacewalk to repair International Space Station
A pair of American astronauts stepped outside the International Space Station on a spacewalk to do repairs at the orbiting outpost, NASA said.
A pair of American astronauts stepped outside the International Space Station yesterday on a spacewalk to do repairs at the orbiting outpost, NASA said.
Reid Wiseman and Barry "Butch" Wilmore began their spacewalk shortly after 8am Washington time, on an excursion that was scheduled to last six and a half hours.
"During today's spacewalk, Wiseman and Wilmore will replace a voltage regulation device called a sequential shunt unit and relocate camera and television equipment," NASA said.
The repair should restore full power capability to the 418km-high outpost. The voltage regulator shorted out in May but could not be replaced until now because of a year-long hiatus in non-emergency spacewalks by NASA.
The stoppage was caused by spacesuit problems, most notably a flooded helmet that nearly cost an astronaut's life last year.
