May 3, 2024

NASA Astronauts Replace Failed Space Station Antenna System

By NASA
December 3, 2021

NASA spacewalker Thomas Marshburn (upper right) trips the Canadarm2 robotic arm to the worksite to change a station antenna system. Credit: NASA
NASA astronauts Thomas Marshburn and Kayla Barron concluded the first Expedition 66 spacewalk at 12:47 p.m. EST, after 6 hours and 32 minutes.
Marshburn and Barron effectively installed an S-band Antenna Subassembly (SASA) on the Port-1 truss structure and stowed the stopped working antenna. In addition, the pair finished get-ahead jobs on the Port-4 truss structure, consisting of resetting the torque on a set of bolts.
This was the 5th spacewalk for Marshburn, the first for Barron, and the 13th spacewalk at the International Space Station this year. Marshburn has now spent an overall of 31 hours and one minute spacewalking, and Barrons spacewalking time is now 6 hours and 32 minutes. Spaceport station team members have now invested an overall of 64 days, 12 hours, and 26 minutes working outside the station carrying out 245 spacewalks in assistance of assembly and maintenance of the orbiting laboratory.

Earlier this month, the International Space Station exceeded its 21-year milestone of constant human existence, offering chances for distinct research and technological presentations that assist prepare for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars and likewise improve life in the world. During that time, 249 individuals from 19 nations have actually visited the orbiting laboratory, which has hosted almost 3,000 research examinations from scientists in 108 locations and nations.