NASA astronaut Raja Chari and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Matthias Maurer are conducting a spacewalk on Wednesday, March 23 to install new hoses on the International Space Station’s Radiator Beam Valve Module, which helps regulate the station’s temperature. Chari and Maurer will also install a power and data cable on the station’s Bartolomeo science platform, replace an external camera, and conduct other upgrades to station hardware.
Wednesday’s spacewalk is expected to begin around 8:50 a.m. EDT (12:50 UTC) and take about six-and-a-half hours. This spacewalk will be the second of Chari’s career and the first for Maurer.
NASA Television coverage of today’s spacewalk with NASA astronaut Raja Chari and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Matthias Maurer is now underway and also is available on the NASA app, the Space Station blog, and the agency’s website.
The crew members of Expedition 66 are preparing to exit the International Space Station‘s Quest airlock for a spacewalk expected to begin about 8:50 a.m. EDT and last approximately six and a half hours.
Chari and Maurer will install hoses on a Radiator Beam Valve Module that routes ammonia through the station’s heat-rejecting radiators to keep systems at the proper temperature. The crew members will also install a power and data cable on the Columbus module’s Bartolomeo science platform, replace an external camera on the station’s truss, and conduct other upgrades to station hardware.
Chari will serve as extravehicular crewmember 1 (EV 1) and will wear a suit with red stripes. Maurer will serve as extravehicular crewmember 2 (EV 2) and will wear an unmarked suit. The spacewalk will be the second of Chari’s career and the first for Maurer. Astronauts Tom Marshburn and Kayla Barron will assist the spacewalkers in and out of their spacesuits and monitor their external activities. Additionally, Barron and Marshburn will be on robotics duty commanding the Canadarm2 robotics arm to assist during the excursion.
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