April 29, 2024

NASA Analyzing Space Station Coolant Leak: Spacewalks Rescheduled

Spacewalk Activities
During the first spacewalk, NASA astronaut Loral OHara and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andreas Mogensen will exit the stations Quest airlock to gather samples for analysis to see whether microbes might exist on the exterior of the orbital complex. They likewise will replace a high-definition camera on the port truss of the station and perform other upkeep work to prepare for future spacewalks.
OHara will function as extravehicular activity (EVA) team member 1 and will wear a match with red stripes. Mogensen will work as extravehicular crew member 2 and will use an unmarked match. U.S. Spacewalk 89 will be the first spacewalk for both crew members.
This animation goes over the October 30th spacewalk in which NASA astronauts Loral OHara and Jasmin Moghbeli will finish the removal of a defective electronic devices box, called a Radio Frequency Group, from a communications antenna on the starboard truss of the station and replace one of twelve Trundle Bearing Assemblies on the port truss Solar Alpha Rotary Joint. Credit: NASA
Second Spacewalk Activities
Throughout the second spacewalk, OHara and Jasmin Moghbeli will finish the elimination of a faulty electronic devices box, called a Radio Frequency Group, from an interactions antenna bracket and replace one of twelve Trundle Bearing Assemblies on the port truss Solar Alpha Rotary Joint. The bearings make it possible for the stations solar ranges to turn correctly to track the sun as the station orbits the Earth. During this spacewalk, Moghbeli will act as EVA team member 1 and OHara will work as EVA crew member 2. U.S. Spacewalk 90 will be the first spacewalk for Moghbeli and 2nd for OHara.
Details on times for the spacewalks are being evaluated and times for live coverage on NASA Television, the agencys website and the NASA app and will be shared once offered.
NASA astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli (center) helps astronauts Andreas Mogensen (left) from ESA (European Space Agency) and Loral OHara (right) from NASA as they try on their spacesuits and check the suits parts aboard the International Space Stations Quest airlock in preparation for an approaching spacewalk. Credit: NASA
Station Activities and Preparations
Freight operations and upkeep filled the Expedition 70 teams day as International Space Station engineers and supervisors continued evaluating the ceased leakage data. In the meantime, 2 cosmonauts are likewise getting ready for their own spacewalk.
Astronauts Loral OHara of NASA and Satoshi Furukawa of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) were back on freight task Thursday early morning. The duo continued unloading cargo from the Cygnus area truck and loaded garbage and disposed of products for disposal aboard the business freight craft. Cygnus delivered a number of lots of science and materials on August 2 and will leave the station and complete its objective in December.
OHara also worked on the Cold Atom Lab finishing the installation of brand-new science parts and reconnection of cable televisions on the quantum physics research gadget. Furukawa collected drinking water samples for processing and analysis in the Destiny laboratory module.
NASAs Cold Atom Laboratory is an experimental center aboard the International Space Station (ISS) designed to develop ultra-cold quantum gases in microgravity. This environment allows researchers to achieve temperature levels near absolute zero, much chillier than possible in the world. The lack of gravity on the ISS avoids atoms from being pulled downwards, enabling them to remain in their fragile state for longer periods. By studying these cold atoms, researchers want to gain a deeper understanding of basic physics, possibly leading to advancements in quantum mechanics and unique innovations. Credit: NASA
Routine Checks and Preparations
Commander Andreas Mogensen of ESA (European Space Agency) together with NASA Flight Engineer Jasmin Moghbeli spent a few minutes on Thursday having a look at spacesuit parts including safety jetpacks and other gear. Mogensen would also photograph the condition of the Columbus lab module and carry out educational science activities. Moghbeli checked and cleaned up hatch seals in the stations U.S. segment then removed items blocking ventilation systems and narrowing passage between modules.
Cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub continued preparing for their spacewalk set up on October 25 to install new hardware and deploy a nanosatellite. The pair from Roscosmos gathered and organized their spacewalking tools inside the Poisk airlock where the prepared six-hour and 45-minute spacewalk will begin.
Roscosmos Flight Engineer Konstantin Borisov invested the majority of his day on a range of upkeep jobs as he serviced life assistance equipment and panels inside the Nauka module. Borisov likewise moved water from the Progress 85 cargo craft into the station and jogged on the treadmill for a fitness test after Kononenko.

They also will replace a high-definition camera on the port truss of the station and perform other upkeep work to prepare for future spacewalks. U.S. Spacewalk 89 will be the very first spacewalk for both crew members.
Throughout the second spacewalk, OHara and Jasmin Moghbeli will complete the elimination of a faulty electronic devices box, called a Radio Frequency Group, from a communications antenna bracket and replace one of twelve Trundle Bearing Assemblies on the port truss Solar Alpha Rotary Joint. During this spacewalk, Moghbeli will serve as EVA crew member 1 and OHara will serve as EVA team member 2. U.S. Spacewalk 90 will be the very first spacewalk for Moghbeli and second for OHara.

NASA astronaut and Expedition 70 Flight Engineer Loral OHara is pictured attempting on her spacesuit and screening its elements aboard the International Space Stations Quest airlock in preparation for an upcoming spacewalk. Credit: NASA
Two United States operating section spacewalks outside the International Space Station (ISS) have been rescheduled for no earlier than Thursday, October 19, and Monday, October 30, as a result of continuous review by NASA supervisors and engineers after a coolant leak from a backup radiator on the stations Nauka multipurpose lab module.
The spacewalks were delayed from their original target dates to permit engineers extra time to finish their analysis of the coolant leak, which took place on October 9 and has actually now stopped.
This animation goes over the October 19th spacewalk in which NASA astronaut Loral OHara and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Andy Mogensen will exit the stations Quest airlock to gather samples for analysis to see whether microorganisms may exist on the outside of the orbital complex. They likewise will change a high-definition electronic camera on the port truss of the station and perform other maintenance work to prepare for future spacewalks. Credit: NASA