Spacewalk Preps Rev Up as Space Science Continues

NASA astronaut Shannon Walker sets up science hardware components inside the Destiny laboratory module's Microgravity Science Glovebox.
NASA astronaut Shannon Walker sets up science hardware components inside the Destiny laboratory module’s Microgravity Science Glovebox.

The Expedition 64 crew members are revving up their spacewalk preparations as they juggle an array of advanced space science aboard the International Space Station today.

NASA Flight Engineer Kate Rubins spent Wednesday morning readying a pair of U.S. spacesuits that she and fellow NASA astronaut Victor Glover will wear on Sunday. Rubins was joined by astronauts Michael Hopkins of NASA and Soichi Noguchi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) helping with the spacesuit fit checks today which consists of attaching the correctly sized leg, arm, glove and helmet components. All four astronauts called down to Mission Control in the afternoon to review Sunday’s spacewalk procedures.

Glover and Rubins will exit the station on Sunday about 6 a.m. EST to begin readying the station for upcoming solar array upgrades. Rubins will go out again on Friday, March 5, with Noguchi to work on coolant gear and communication systems. NASA TV will broadcast both spacewalks live.

Glover also had time for research work today as he serviced parts inside the Combustion Integrated Rack to support flame and fuel studies safely. NASA Flight Engineer Shannon Walker replaced communications gear inside the Human Research Facility that enables biological and psychological observations of astronauts.

Commander Sergey Ryzhikov and Flight Engineer Sergey Kud-Sverchkov continued inspecting and photographing the hull of the Zvezda service module. Ryzhikov also worked on batteries and cameras before incubating and photographing microbe samples. Kud-Sverchkov checked out Russian life support systems and ventilation gear Wednesday afternoon.



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