Astronauts resume routine spacewalks for the ISS, NASA and ESA - Video Update

In this image taken from NASA TV, American astronaut Reid Wiseman works outside the International Space Station on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014. 

Wiseman and German spaceman Alexander Gerst are performing NASA's first routine maintenance outside the International Space Station in more than a year. 

Credit: AP Photo/NASA

Spacewalker Alexander Gerst rides the Canadarm2 to a work site on the International Space Station.

Image Credit: NASA TV

Two spacewalking astronauts moved an old, broken pump into permanent storage Tuesday, NASA's first routine maintenance outside the International Space Station in more than a year.

American Reid Wiseman and German Alexander Gerst, both first-time spacewalkers, cheerfully completed the long overdue job 260 miles (418.41 kilometers) up.

"I can't wait to see these pictures," Gerst said.



U.S.-based spacewalks were curtailed in July 2013 after an Italian astronaut nearly drowned because of a flooded helmet. NASA solved the problem with the suit's water-cooling system. Then concern arose over the spacesuit batteries.

ESA Astronaut Alexander Gerst on the CanadArm-2 robotic arm during the latest EVA.

Credit: Nasa TV

New batteries arrived late last month, clearing the way for Tuesday's spacewalk and another one scheduled for next week.

Gerst clutched the 780-pound pump, about the size of a double-door refrigerator, as he rode on the end of the station's big robot arm.

NASA's Reid Wiseman and European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst performed a spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Oct. 7, 2014.

Credit: NASA TV

The crane swung him from the pump's temporary location to the new permanent spot in about 12 minutes.

"You should see my view right now," Gerst said, referring to the sprawling space station, lit up like gold in the darkness.

The pump ended up in short-term storage during urgent spacewalking repairs to the station's ammonia-cooling system last December.

NASA did not want to waste time back then parking the pump in its long-term garage, given all the spacesuit worries.

So the job was deferred, until now.

With Wiseman looking on, Gerst slid the pump into its permanent slot, a large rectangular sheath formed by white protective blankets, and then bolted it down.

"Nice work," Mission Control radioed.

The spacewalkers hustled through their other chores, replacing a camera light and installing a power-relay device for the station's robot-arm railcar, before calling it quits.

As the six-hour excursion drew to a close, Wiseman thanked the hundreds if not thousands of people who worked on NASA's spacewalk recovery team over the past year.

"Alex and I, we'd like to express just our huge gratitude for getting us back into planned EVAs (spacewalks), safely outside, safely back in," Wiseman said. EVA is NASA talk for extra-vehicular activity.

"It's a good day for NASA" ... "and the European Space Agency." he added.

A follow-up spacewalk is scheduled for Oct. 15 to further whittle down NASA's lengthy to-do list, on hold since the 2013 close call.

That spacewalk will be conducted by Wiseman and fellow American Butch Wilmore, a newcomer.

A week after that, two of the three Russians on board will perform a spacewalk on their country's side of the orbiting outpost. The Moscow-led spacewalks were unaffected by NASA's spacesuit troubles.

International Space Station: Science and spacewalks

Russian cosmonauts Alexander Skvortzov and Oleg Artemyev spent over six hours working outside the International Space Station on 19 June 2014. 

This picture was taken by ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst from inside the orbital outpost. 

Credit: ESA/NASA

Three weeks into ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst's Blue Dot mission on the International Space Station and the new arrival is now spending more time on scientific research in the microgravity laboratory.

Alexander has worked on controlled fires in space and continuously monitored his sleep patterns, at the same time as making sure the orbital outpost is working at full capacity.

Apart from continuing the long-term studies on eyes and headaches in space, Alexander recorded his temperature and hormones over 36 hours to understand his sleep patterns.

Astronauts on the Station witness 16 sunrises and sunsets each day – whereas on Earth our bodies rely on sunlight to kick-start hormone production that make us sleepy or wake us up.

Researchers are interested to see how the unique 90-minute days influence sleep. Aside from making sure astronauts feel awake at critical moments, this research in space allows sleep specialists to test theories that they couldn't anywhere else.

Alexander acted as a weightless firestarter and firefighter this week when he ignited small samples of fuels safely contained in ESA's glovebox to see how they burn in space. He volunteered as a fireman before becoming an astronaut, so the experiment was in good hands.

ESA Columbus laboratory. 

Credit: ESA/NASA

This research will improve computer models for fire detectors and extinguishers, both in space and on Earth.

He explained the experiment via Twitter: "Burning things in space for better fire safety on Earth."

Elsewhere, Alexander took samples of his blood and saliva and collected data on his eyes, his skin and his body so researchers can understand how astronauts react to weightlessness.

Other notable experiments included the harvesting of space-grown salads – unfortunately for the astronauts, they are not allowed to eat them.

ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst running NASA’s Bass experiment in ESA’s microgravity glovebox on the International Space Station. 

Contained in this protected environment, small samples of fuel were ignited by Alexander to see how they burn in space. 

He volunteered as a fireman before becoming an astronaut, so the experiment was in good hands. 

Credit: ESA/NASA

Yesterday, cosmonauts Oleg Armetyev and Alexander Skvortsov spent over six hours working outside the Station to install an antenna, take samples and move experiments.

Meanwhile the four astronauts inside continued their science activities.

Earlier, Alexander thoroughly checked a newly arrived US spacesuit. Before being declared ready for use, he had to make sure it had survived its climb into space.

ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst thoroughly checking a newly arrived American spacesuit on the International Space Station. Credit: ESA/NASA 

Alexander even had time this week for educational activities for Earth Guardian, inspiring children to observe geographical features such as oceans, rivers, landscapes, mountains and forests in their areas during the summer holidays.

Astronauts Mastravvhio and Hopkins Complete First in Series of Spacewalks

On Sunday, Dec. 22, NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins tweeted this photo of Saturday's spacewalk, saying, "Wow... can't believe that is me yesterday. Wish I could find the words to describe the experience, truly amazing."

Expedition 38 Flight Engineers Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins wrapped up a 5-hour, 28-minute spacewalk outside the International Space Station at 12:29 p.m. EST Saturday. 

They completed the first in a series of excursions aimed at replacing a degraded ammonia pump module associated with one of the station's two external cooling loops that keeps both internal and external equipment cool.

A second spacewalk to install a replacement pump module is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 24 at 7:10 a.m. EST, with NASA TV coverage beginning at 6:15 a.m. EST.

Credit: NASA

ISS Astronauts Prepare for EVA Spacewalks to Repair Coolant System

Expedition 38 crew member Mike Hopkins checks out the spacesuit he will wear outside the International Space Station on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013. 

He and fellow astronaut Rick Mastracchio will conduct a series of spacewalks to replace an ammonia pump that is part of the station's coolant system. 

This will be Hopkins' first spacewalk, while Mastracchio has had six previous ones on STS-118 and STS-131

More Information

NASA testing modified "pumpkin suit" for asteroid mission spacewalks - Video

NASA is taking steps to make spacewalking on an asteroid a reality. 

In the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) near the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston, engineers are testing a modified version of the pumpkin-orange Advanced Crew Escape System (ACES) worn by space shuttle astronauts during launch and reentry for use by future crew in the Orion spacecraft.

As the agency plans human deep space missions, including a voyage to a relocated asteroid, care is being taken to efficiently use space inside Orion.

The white Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuits used by crews to conducts spacewalks on the International Space Station are too bulky to carry in the spacecraft, so NASA is looking at ways to alter the ACES suits for multiple uses both inside and outside the spacecraft.


"The shell of them is very much the same, and to the casual user you may not even notice the difference, but internally we modified them to work with the plumbing inside Orion," said Dustin Gohmert, Crew Survival Systems Manager at Johnson.

Through a series of tests in the NBL, engineers are learning what features need to be included to improve the suit's mobility beyond the needs of the trip from the launch pad to space and its return to Earth, such as enhanced gloves and elbow joints with improved mobility for spacewalks.

The ACES pumpkin suit was worn by space shuttle crews beginning in 1994 and builds on the earliest spacesuit worn by Ed White during the first venture outside a spacecraft in 1965.

"We're stepping back to our heritage to be able to use one suit for multiple tasks," said Gohmert.

Albert Einstein, Fourth ATV attached to Ariane 5 launcher

Photo of the Automated Transfer Vehicle being prepared to move to the Ariane 5 final assembly building last week. 

Credit: ESA /CNES /Arianespace /Photo Optique video du CSG /P Baudon

Europe's next Automated Transfer Vehicle, set for launch in June to the International Space Station, was hoisted atop an Ariane 5 launcher in French Guiana on Friday.

The robotic spacecraft's tanks are filled with propellant, water, air and pure oxygen.

Technicians will load the ATV's cargo module with fresh food and other last-minute items over next week before the Ariane 5's 17.7-foot-diameter payload fairing is added to enshroud the resupply freighter.

Christened Albert Einstein, the cargo craft is Europe's fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle. When it blasts off June 5, the freighter will be the heaviest spacecraft ever launched by Europe - weighing in at an estimated 44,610 pounds, according to the European Space Agency.

It is also the largest vehicle to visit the space station since the retirement of the space shuttle. The ATV measures 32 feet long and 15 feet wide, and its four solar panels, arranged in a distinctive X-shaped patten, stretch out 73 feet tip-to-tip when extended in space.

Each ATV can haul three times more cargo than Russian Progress resupply spacecraft, and twice as much mass as SpaceX's Dragon cargo ship.

The massive spacecraft does not return cargo. At the end of each mission, it falls back into the atmosphere and burns up, disposing of trash in a safety zone over the Pacific Ocean.

The Albert Einstein spacecraft arrived last year at the European-run spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Timed to the second in order to reach the space station, the launch is set for June 5 at 2136:59 GMT (5:36:59 p.m. EDT; 6:36:59 p.m. Kourou time).

The launch time could change slightly based on further tracking of the space station's orbit, according to Alberto Novelli, ESA's ATV 4 mission manager.

The Ariane 5 ES rocket, missing its payload, rolled to the final assembly building in Kourou in March. 

Credit: ESA /CNES /Arianespace /Photo Optique video du CSG /S Martin

Docking with the space station's Zvezda service module is scheduled for June 15.

Managers decided on May 8 to continue preparations for launch June 5, but engineers are analyzing a potential problem with a navigation aid attached to the space station's docking port.

Officials are concerned a stuck antenna on a Russian Progress resupply craft may have damaged a laser reflector mounted on the aft end of the Zvezda module.

Reflectors are used in concert with the ATV's laser-guided navigation system to feed range, orientation and closing rate information to the ATV's computers, which control the spacecraft's automatic approach to the space station.

An array of 26 reflectors is positioned on the back end of the Zvezda module, beaming laser light back to sensors on the ATV, creating unique light patterns captured and recognized by the spacecraft's cameras.

The ATV carries a backup system using telegoniometers, similar to police radar guns, to emit laser light at a different wavelength up to 10,000 times per second.

Cosmonauts Pavel Vinogradov and Roman Romanenko replaced one of the laser reflectors on a spacewalk April 19.

Engineers suspected contamination may have damaged the old reflector.

Novelli said the reflector suspected of damage from the Progress docking is in a different location and has a different use than the unit replaced during the April 19 spacewalk.

Until the Progress leaves the space station, there is no way to inspect the reflector without another spacewalk.

NASA - Russian Cosmonauts to Move Cargo Boom, Deploy Ham Radio Satellite

Expedition 28 Flight Engineers Sergei Volkov and Alexander Samokutyaev conducted an EVA outside the Pirs airlock at 10:30 a.m. EDT Wednesday. A grueling six-hour excursion. Both spacewalkers wore Russian Orlan-MK spacesuits.

Coverage of the spacewalk was broadcast live on NASA Television beginning at 10 a.m. EDT.

Volkov, making his third spacewalk, and Samokutyaev, making his first, both wore spacesuits marked with blue stripes. Volkov’s previous two spacewalks occurred while he was Expedition 17 commander in 2008.

During the spacewalk, Commander Andrey Borisenko and NASA Flight Engineer Ron Garan closed the hatches on the Poisk docking module, which is opposite the Pirs airlock, and sealed the hatches between Zvezda and Poisk.

This gave them access to their Soyuz 26 spacecraft, protected them against the unlikely possibility of a sudden station depressurization and allowed the forward transfer compartment of Zvezda to be used as a backup airlock.

Flight Engineers Mike Fossum of NASA, and Satoshi Furukawa of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, was supporting them in the U.S. segment and had access to their Soyuz 27 spacecraft, which is docked to the Rassvet module.

The duo’s first task wwas to deploy a boxy, 57-pound satellite, called alternately ARISSat-1 and Radioskaf-V, which is the prototype test flight of a proposed series of educational satellites being developed in a partnership with the Radio Amateur Satellite Corp. (AMSAT), the NASA Office of Education ISS National Lab Project, the Amateur Radio on ISS (ARISS) working group and RSC-Energia.

The ARISSat design can carry up to four student experiments and the data from these experiments will be transmitted to the ground via an amateur radio link. This prototype ARISSat-1 carries one student experiment, a pressure sensor built at Kursk University in Russia, to measure atmospheric pressure for the lifetime of the satellite.


Image above: Radioskaf-V nanosatellite. Credit: NASA
› View hi-res image

In addition to transmitting student experiment data, ARISSat-1 will transmit still-frame video Earth views from four onboard cameras, commemorative greetings in the native languages from students around the world, including messages to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the launch of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin as the first human in space.

The satellite, which uses off-the-shelf equipment and software provided by AMSAT, also features a Morse code tracking beacon and will function as a space communications utility for use by “ham” radio operators world-wide.


More information on tracking ARISSat-1 decoding its telemetry visit the AMSAT and ARISSat-1 websites:

http://www.arissat1.org/v3/

http://www.amsat.org/amsat-new/

Spacewalks (EVA) may be needed to fix ISS cooling device: NASA

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station may need to undertake unscheduled spacewalks later this week after one of the orbiting outpost's ammonia cooling systems broke down, NASA said Sunday.

Officials at the US space agency's mission control in Houston, Texas, "are discussing options to perform two spacewalks later this week to replace the pump module," said NASA.

An attempt to restart the ammonia-fed cooling loops on the ISS prompted the pump module's circuit breaker to trip early Sunday for a second time after it failed Saturday night and was reset.

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NASA: ISS Astronauts Hook up ESA Node 3

Endeavour shuttle astronauts Nicholas Patrick and Robert Behnken work outside the International Space Station during the second spacewalk of the STS-130 mission on Feb. 13 and 14, 2010. Credit: NASA TV.

Two spacewalking astronauts ventured outside the International Space Station late Saturday for a high-flying plumbing job on the orbiting laboratory's newest room.

Endeavour shuttle astronauts Robert Behnken and Nicholas Patrick hooked up four long hoses to the space station's new Tranquility module in order to supply the room with vital liquid ammonia coolant. The spacewalk, the second in three days for the two astronauts, will allow their crewmates to power up the new space room.

The spacewalkers had to be extra careful of any ammonia leaks while tackling the space plumbing job.

The toxic chemical can pose a health risk to astronauts if it is released inside the space station, and Patrick spotted a tiny leak of ammonia while working with the bulky hoses.

Crystals of frozen ammonia bounced off his spacesuit visor and right glove, but didn't appear to stick to his suit, Patrick said. Behnken described the leak as a brief puff of snowflakes.

"It was about the kind of quantity of stuff that you would expect if you didn't empty the straw at the end of your drink bag," Patrick said.

"If you were drinking ammonia," quipped crewmate Stephen Robinson from inside Endeavour as Patrick laughed.

Magical Helmet Shot

NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao captures his reflection in the faceplate of a space suit in this image taken aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Chiao, commander of the tenth mission to the ISS, is in the final days of his mission aboard the orbital outpost. He and ISS Expedition 10 flight engineer Salizhan Sharipov have lived aboard the space station since October 2004. Later this month, they will relinquish station control to their successors, Expedition 11 commander SergeiKrikalev and flight engineer John Phillips. Krikalev and Phillips are set to launch into space aboard a Soyuz rocket the evening of Thursday April 14, though it will be April 15 at their Baikonur Cosmodrome launch pad during liftoff. Riding spaceward with the Expedition 11 crew is Italian astronaut Roberto Vittori, of the European Space Agency (ESA), who will spend a few days conducting experiments aboard the ISS during the crew exchange.

Spacewalk halted after suit problem

Two US Shuttle astronauts from the Endeavour cut short their spacewalk and hurried back to the safety of the international space station (ISS) after a spacesuit problem caused rising carbon dioxide levels for one of them.

Nasa chiefs stressed that spacewalker Christopher Cassidy was never in any danger and experienced no symptoms of carbon dioxide build-up. The trouble happened in Wednesday's spacewalk, the third for shuttle Endeavour's crew.

Mission Control notified the crew five hours into the spacewalk that the canister for removing or 'scrubbing' carbon dioxide from Cassidy's suit did not seem to be working properly.

Abort EVA

Flight controllers wanted him back inside as quickly as possible, to mitigate against the possibility of a complete failure of the ;scrubber;. This meant that fellow spacewalker David Wolf had to go in too because safety rules covering EVAs require that these exercises be carried out by no less than 2 astronauts.

The battery replacement work outside the space station was left unfinished. Only two of the four new batteries ended up being installed.

Heading for the Hatch

Cassidy immediately headed for the hatch. He waited there for Wolf, who was further out on the space station. Their work site was on the far left side of the orbiting complex, along the framework that holds the huge solar wings and more than 150 feet from the hatch.

"I'm just going to sit here and I'm going to wait for Dave and enjoy the view," Cassidy said. What a great idea and its something that all astronauts love to do on EVA, look down on Mother Earth as she spins below them. The biggest distraction on an EVA is often the sheer beauty and wonder of being outside in the vacuum of space, with nothing between you and the beautiful blue Earth.

A view of Earth from Space

The view from inside the Shuttle or the ISS is much more restricted because of the size of the windows or 'viewing panes'. Its a really unique experience for an astronaut to absorb that sensational panoramic view.

In no time and without fuss, both men were safely back inside the ISS and the spacewalk was over 30 minutes after Mission Control's initial call to cut it short. It ended up lasting six hours, a half-hour shorter than planned. The unfinished battery work will be added to Friday's spacewalk, the fourth of five planned for this mission.

Hubble (HST) upgraded and returned to orbit

The space shuttle Atlantis has released the Hubble Space Telescope back into space, after five days of back-to-back spacewalks to repair and upgrade the 19-year-old observatory (Image: NASA)

A spruced-up Hubble Space Telescope has been released back into space after five days of spacewalks to repair and upgrade the ageing observatory.

The space shuttle Atlantis will now make its way back to Earth, ending the $1.1 billion mission, which aimed to extend Hubble's life to at least 2014 and vastly improve its vision.

Six days after grabbing hold of the telescope with the shuttle's 15-metre-long robotic arm, astronaut Megan McArthur lifted the telescope from the shuttle's payload bay and placed it back in its own orbit at 1257 GMT.

Now, the 19-year-old telescope will undergo an intensive testing period, in which astronomers and engineers will calibrate and assess the health of the newly-installed and repaired instruments. NASA hopes Hubble science operations will reach "full stride" by September, Hubble programme manager Preston Burch told reporters on Monday.

Hubble Re-fit Goes as Planned, almost

Astronauts John Grunsfeld and Andrew Feustel installed a new camera and data router on the Hubble Space Telescope during the first spacewalk of the last Hubble servicing mission. The 7 hour, 20 minute spacewalk took almost an hour longer than scheduled (Image: NASA)

Hubble was outfitted with a brand-new camera during a marathon spacewalk on Thursday – one of the top priorities of the space shuttle mission to service the telescope. But the crucial installation did not go off without a hitch – spacewalking astronauts had to struggle to remove a stuck bolt on the telescope's old camera.

The space shuttle Atlantis launched on Monday on an 11-day shuttle mission to refurbish the telescope and extend its life until at least 2014. The mission, the last to service the iconic telescope, is set to leave the probe with its best vision yet.

Shuttle and Hubble (HST) Re-united at last

After a two-day approach to rendezvous with the Hubble Space Telescope, the space shuttle Atlantis has captured the probe and stowed it safely in its payload bay. Astronauts will begin the first of five full days of spacewalks on Thursday to refurbish the probe and extend its life until at least 2014 (Image: NASA)

As the captured telescope came into view of astronauts in the shuttle, lead spacewalker John Grunsfeld, who has visited the telescope on two previous shuttle missions, sent the first dispatch on the condition of the telescope to mission control: "I'm just looking out the window here, and it's an unbelievably beautiful sight. Amazingly, the exterior of Hubble, an old man of 19 years in space, still looks in fantastic shape."