NASA Astronauts Wiseman and Wilmore Complete Spacewalk (EVA)

NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Barry Wilmore work outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk on Oct. 15, 2014.

Credit: NASA TV

Two NASA astronauts working outside the International Space Station raced against the clock during a spacewalk today (Oct. 15).

NASA's Reid Wiseman and Barry "Butch" Wilmore performed a 6.5-hour-long spacewalk that included one particularly tricky task that had to be started and completed when the orbiting outpost was in orbital night.

Wilmore and Wiseman managed to remove and replace a power regulator that shorted out in May during the short amount of time when the station experienced night.

"Whoop!" one of the astronauts exulted after the replacement regulator was installed. The regulator, which is used to regulate power from one of the station's solar arrays, needed to be changed out in order to restore the station to full power.

Mission controllers watched a clock ticking down the time the astronauts had to complete the task.

The spacewalk officially began at 8:16 a.m. EDT (1216 GMT) and ended 6 hours and 34 minutes later.

The two astronauts also removed a faulty camera from the outside of the station and installed a new one.

Wilmore and Wiseman also moved some equipment to get ready for the eventual relocation of the station's Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) in 2015, NASA officials said.

PMM was built by the Italian Space Agency and is attached to the Earth-facing side of Unity module.

Despite their hard day of work, the astronauts still had time to do a little sightseeing while outside the space station.

They both got some good views of Earth during the spacewalk.

"That is amazing," one of the astronauts said when the spacewalkers spotted a possibly erupting volcano while flying above Earth.

"I see Cairo," Wiseman said during a pass over Egypt. "Can't quite make out the pyramids, though."

The PMM needs to be moved in order to make way for a pair of commercial crewed vehicles that could begin flying astronauts to the orbiting outpost as early as in 2017.

Astronauts will also need to install a set of international docking adaptors that should fly to the station in 2015 for the commercial vehicles.

The two October spacewalks kick off a series of EVAs (extravehicular activities) designed to make way for the new private spaceships once they start delivering astronauts to the station.

"We're going to be doing the things we need to do on these EVAs to prep for moving some modules around," Kenny Todd, space station integration operations manager, said during a news conference before the spacewalks.

"All that is in preparation for being able to support future [commercial] crewed vehicles coming to [the] station. We're trying to get out in front of that … We'll be prepping for moving modules; we'll be installing a new docking adapter system. All of that will be happening throughout the next several months on board the station."

ISS Astronauts continue preparations for Spacewalk (EVA)

NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman, Expedition 41 flight engineer, works with tools and equipment on a spacesuit in the Quest airlock of the International Space Station in preparation for two spacewalks scheduled in October 2014.

Image Credit: NASA

With the first planned excursion of Expedition 41 just a week away, the International Space Station’s six-person crew spent Tuesday preparing spacewalking tools and equipment, while managing a packed agenda of scientific research and maintenance.

Commander Max Suraev of the Russian Federal Space Agency and the team of five flight engineers began the day at 2 a.m. EDT, and after some time for morning hygiene, breakfast and an inspection of the station, they conducted a daily planning conference with the flight control teams around the world.

Afterward, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman and Barry Wilmore and European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst went to work in the equipment lock section of the Quest airlock to stage the equipment they’ll need in order to prepare for spacewalks set for Oct. 7 and 15.

During the first six-and-a-half-hour spacewalk, slated to begin on Oct. 7 around 8:10 a.m., Wiseman and Gerst will transfer a previously uninstalled pump module from its temporary stowage location to the External Stowage Platform-2.

The two spacewalkers also will install the Mobile Transporter Relay Assembly (MTRA) that adds the capability to provide “keep-alive” power to the system that moves the station’s robotic arm between worksites.

The two astronauts will venture out on the station’s starboard truss to replace a voltage regulator that failed in mid-May.

Although the station has since operated normally on seven of its eight power channels, replacement of the regulator, known as a sequential shunt unit, is considered a high priority.

Spacewalking astronauts release Peruvian nanosatellite Chasqui 1

This photo provided by NASA shows Chasqui 1, a tiny Peruvian research satellite, right of center, launched by spacewalking astronauts aboard the International Space Station, Monday, Aug. 18, 2014. 

The satellite, weighing barely 2 pounds, holds instruments to measure temperature and pressure and cameras that will photograph Earth. 

Credit: NASA

Spacewalking astronauts launched Chasqui 1 a tiny Peruvian research satellite Monday, setting it loose on a mission to observe Earth.

Russian astronaut Oleg Artemiev cast the 4-inch (10.1-centimeter) box off with his gloved right hand as the International Space Station sailed 260 miles (418 kilometers) above the cloud-flecked planet.

The nanosatellite gently tumbled as it cleared the vicinity of the orbiting complex, precisely as planned.

"One, two, three," someone called out in Russian as Artemiev let go of the satellite.

Cameras watched as the nanosatellite, named Chasqui 1 after the Inca messengers who were fleet of foot, increased its distance and grew smaller.

Artemiev's Russian spacewalking partner, Alexander Skvortsov, tried to keep his helmet camera aimed at the satellite as it floated away.

The satellite, barely 2 pounds (0.9 kilograms), holds instruments to measure temperature and pressure, and cameras that will photograph Earth.

It's a technological learning experience for the National University of Engineering in Lima. A Russian cargo ship delivered the device earlier this year.

Less than a half-hour into the spacewalk, the satellite was on its way, flying freely.

With that completed, Artemiev and Skvortsov set about installing fresh science experiments outside the Russian portion of the space station and retrieving old ones.

"Be careful," Russian Mission Control outside Moscow warned as the astronauts made their way to their next work site.

They also collected samples from a window of the main Russian living compartment; engineers want to check for any engine residue from visiting spacecraft.

The spacewalkers wrapped up their work early. Flight controllers thanked them for their five-hour effort.

The two conducted a spacewalk in June, a few months after moving into the space station. Four other men live there: another Russian, two Americans and one German.

U.S. spacewalks, meanwhile, remain on hold.

NASA hoped to resume them this month after a yearlong investigation but delayed the activity until fall to get fresh spacesuit batteries on board.

The SpaceX company will deliver the batteries on a Dragon supply ship next month. Engineers are concerned about the fuses of the on-board batteries.

Before the battery issue, NASA was stymied by a spacesuit problem that nearly cost an Italian astronaut his life last summer.

Luca Parmitano's helmet flooded with water from the suit's cooling system, and he barely made it back inside.

The investigation into that incident is now complete, with safety improvements made to the U.S. spacesuits.

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.

ISS Astronauts Spacewalk completes urgent repair job

This April 23, 2014 NASA TV image shows International Space Station(ISS) astronauts Rick Mastracchio (L) and Steve Swanson (R) preparing for a spacewalk.

Credit: NASA

Spacewalking astronauts easily replaced a dead computer outside the International Space Station on Wednesday and got their orbiting home back up to full strength.

The two Americans on board, Rick Mastracchio and Steven Swanson, hustled through the urgent repair job, swapping out the computers well within an hour. The new one tested fine.

"Excellent work, gentlemen," Mission Control radioed.

The removed computer, a critical backup, failed nearly two weeks ago. The prime computer has been working perfectly, but NASA wanted to install a fresh spare as soon as possible.

Mission Control waited until after the arrival of a capsule full of fresh supplies Sunday.

Replacing the computer—a compact 50-pound (22-kilogram) box—involved just three bolts, hardly anything for a spacewalking chore.

Engineers do not know why the original failed. Mission Control asked the spacewalkers to keep an eye out for any damage that might explain the breakdown. Nothing jumped out.

Flight controllers were trying to load software into the spare computer on April 11, but it failed to activate.

That set into motion a frenzy of ground meetings and tests to fix the problem.

NASA feared that if the primary computer went down as well, the entire space station would be in jeopardy.

These two computers—the primary and backup—control the pointing of the solar wings and radiators, as well as the movement of the robot-arm rail cart.

It was the first failure of one of dozens of so-called MDMs, or multiplexer-demultiplexers, in and outside the space station.

Mission Control kept the spacewalk short and straight-to-the-point; it lasted a mere one hour and 36 minutes.

All routine spacewalks by U.S. station crew have been on hold since last summer's near-drowning by a spacewalking astronaut.

His helmet filled with water from the cooling system of the suit, and NASA is continuing to investigate the problem.

NASA hopes to reuse the bad computer, once it's inspected indoors by the astronauts and updated.

Their mission accomplished, Rick Mastracchio and Steven Swanson exchanged a few jokes and laughs as they got ready to go back inside.

"My arms are too short for a selfie," Mastracchio said with a chuckle, his camera pointed at himself.

Space station computer outage may force unscheduled spacewalk

This May 23, 2011 photo released by NASA shows the International Space Station at an altitude of approximately 220 miles above the Earth, taken by Expedition 27 crew member Paolo Nespoli from the Soyuz TMA-20 following its undocking. 

A computer outage at the International Space Station may require an EVA (spacewalk) by astronauts and threatens to delay next week's launch of a commercial supply ship for NASA. 

NASA said Friday night April 11, 2014 that a backup computer on the outside of the orbiting lab is not responding to commands. 

Credit: AP Photo /NASA, Paolo Nespoli

A computer outage at the International Space Station may require a spacewalk by astronauts and threatens to delay next week's launch of a commercial supply ship for NASA.

NASA said Friday night that a backup computer on the outside of the orbiting lab is not responding to commands.

The main computer, called an MDM or multiplexer-demultiplexer, is working fine, and the six-man crew is in no danger, officials said.

But these computers control some robotic functions that would be needed for the upcoming supply run by SpaceX, one of two U.S. companies contracted by NASA to keep the space station well stocked. A backup computer would need to be operating for redundancy of those robotic systems.

SpaceX is supposed to launch the unmanned Dragon capsule on Monday from Cape Canaveral.

It contains nearly 5,000 pounds (2267.99 kilograms)of supplies and science experiments.

The mission is already a month late because of extra prep time needed by the California company and unrelated damage to an Air Force radar-tracking device needed for rocket launches.

ESA Astronaut Paolo Nespoli, Expedition 27 flight engineer, works with the Light Microscopy Module (LMM) in the Destiny laboratory of the International Space Station.

Late Friday, Mission Control was trying to determine whether the computer can be repaired or must be replaced.

A replacement would have to be accomplished by spacewalking astronauts.

NASA is still aiming for a Monday launch by SpaceX. But that could change, depending on the status of the bad computer.

Astronauts use the space station's big robot arm to grab onto the Dragon capsule and attach it to the outpost.

The space station is currently home to two Americans, one Japanese and three Russians.

NASA is paying Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) and the Virginia-based Orbital Sciences Corp. to make space station deliveries.

Russia Progress spacecraft, Japan (JAXA) HTV spacecraft, and in Europe ESA's ATV cargo spacecraft also conduct regular supply runs.

ISS Astronauts repeat spacewalk to complete Urthecast camera job

Two Russian space station astronauts took a spacewalk Monday to complete a camera job left unfinished last month.

Oleg Kotov

Oleg Kotov and Sergey Ryazanskiy quickly got one of two commercially provided cameras installed outside the International Space Station, a task requiring multiple power connections.

Everything checked out well, unlike the spacewalk last month.

The two men worked so hard that Russian Mission Control outside Moscow urged them to "get your breath."

"We'll force ourselves to rest," one of the spacewalkers replied in Russian.

The astronauts had hooked up the Earth-observing cameras during a spacewalk after Christmas but ground controllers received no data from the cameras, and the spacewalkers had to haul everything back in.

The problem was traced to indoor cabling and fixed, according to NASA.

Sergey Ryazanskiy

This time, after the spacewalkers reattached the high-definition camera to the outside of the Russian portion of the space station, good electrical connectivity was reported between the instrument and Russian Mission Control.

NASA spokesman Rob Navias said Russian flight controllers were pleased with the results.

Next, Kotov and Ryazanskiy tackled the medium-resolution camera.

Images from these new cameras will be distributed by the Canadian company that owns them, UrtheCast Corp.

The cameras were launched to the space station in November in a deal between UrtheCast and the Russian Space Agency.

UrtheCast will post video on its website and sell images. The company expects it will take three months to calibrate the cameras, and that the system should be fully operational by summer.

The four other space station astronauts—two Americans, one Japanese and another Russian—monitored the spacewalk from inside.

ISS Cosmonauts Hit Snag with HD Cameras during Record-Breaking Spacewalk

Cosmonauts Oleg Kotov, Expedition 38 commander, and flight engineer Sergey Ryazanskiy perform a spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Dec. 27, 2013. 

NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio took this photo from inside the station.

Credit: NASA/Rick Mastracchio, via @AstroRM

Two Russian cosmonauts installed new HD camera eyes on the International Space Station during a record-setting spacewalk Friday (Dec. 27), only to have to return the devices inside due to an unspecified data glitch.

Cosmonauts Oleg Kotov and Sergey Ryazanskiy spent just over eight hours — a new endurance record for Russian spacewalks — working outside the space station to install the new Earth-watching cameras for the Canadian company UrtheCast as part of an agreement with Russia's Federal Space Agency. 

But shortly after the installation, Russian engineers reported a problem receiving data from the imaging system.

"It appears that we have seen an unsuccessful attempt at bringing those two cameras to life," NASA spokesman Rob Navias said during spacewalk commentary. 

"The exact cause of the problem is not known at this time."


The new cameras are designed to snap detailed views of Earth from space for UrtheCast, which will then provide the imagery to customers via the Internet.

They launched to the station in late November on the Russian Progress 53 cargo ship.

"UrtheCast's two cameras will stream unprecedented footage of our evolving Earth to anyone with an internet connection," the company's website promises.

"In near real-time, you will be able to visit your favorite locales and learn about current events as they unfold."

The UrtheCast cameras include a high-resolution instrument on a swivel platform for detailed observations, and a medium-resolution instrument attached to a fixed platform.

Both cameras were initially installed by Kotov and Ryazanskiy on their respective Earth-facing platforms outside the station's Zvezda service module.

"When the flight control team at the Russian Mission Control Center outside Moscow did not see the expected telemetry and electrical connectivity from the newly installed medium and high resolution cameras, Kotov and Ryazanskiy were directed to remove the cameras and return them to the airlock for further analysis," NASA officials said in a statement.

"The spacewalkers also were instructed to take detailed photographs of the electrical connectors mated earlier for additional review."

Astronaut Mike Hopkins on Dec. 24 Spacewalk

On Dec. 24, 2013, NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins, Expedition 38 Flight Engineer, participates in the second of two spacewalks, spread over a four-day period, which were designed to allow the crew to change out a degraded pump module on the exterior of the Earth-orbiting International Space Station. 

He was joined on both spacewalks by NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio, whose image shows up in Hopkins' helmet visor.

The pump module controls the flow of ammonia through cooling loops and radiators outside the space station, and, combined with water-based cooling loops inside the station, removes excess heat into the vacuum of space.

Image Credit: NASA

ISS Cosmonauts Break Record for Longest Russian Spacewalk

Russian cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin works outside the International Space Station, with the Earth far below, in this still from a NASA broadcast on Aug. 16, 2013.

Credit: NASA TV

Two cosmonauts set a new record for the longest Russian spacewalk on Friday (Aug. 16), spending more than seven hours working outside the International Space Station to prepare it for the addition of a new Russian-built orbital lab.

Veteran cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin and flight engineer Alexander Misurkin spent a total of seven hours and 29 minutes — a new Russian record — on a spacewalk to install power and data cables for a new Russian laboratory module expected to launch to the space station in upcoming months.

NASA cameras beamed images of the record-setting spacewalk to Earth during the orbital excursion.

NASA spokesman Rob Navias said the cosmonauts broke a Russian spacewalking record that had stood for 23 years.

Before Friday, the longest spacewalk by two Russian cosmonauts was seven hours and 16 minutes. It occurred on July, 17 1990 and was performed by cosmonauts Anatoly Solovyev and Alekandr Balandin to repair thermal protection gear on Russia's Mir Space Station.

"Today, that mark eclipsed by Yurchikhin and Misurkin," Navias said.

Friday's spacewalk was originally supposed to last 6.5 hours, but Russian flight controllers opted to extend it to allow time to retract a hand-operated extendable crane, called Strela, back into place.

The cosmonauts initially planned to leave the crane extended for another spacewalk set for Aug. 22

Yurchikhin and Misurkin spent most of their time Friday installing two long power cables and a data cable on an Earth-facing Pirs docking compartment, which faces the Earth and will ultimately replaced with the new, and larger, Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory. Nauka means "Science" in Russian.

The cable installation was hard on the cosmonauts' hands, since they had to tackle the stiff cables with bulky spacesuit-clad gloves.

"Alright guys, take a break … relax your hands," Russian Mission Control radioed the pair.

But the work appeared to go smoothly, with Yurchikhin and Misurkin also installing a materials science experiment on the station's exterior and a guide line that can be used by future spacewalkers.

At one point, one of the cosmonauts was heard humming to himself as they wrapped up their work.

Friday's spacewalk was the fourth of five spacewalks planned for the Expedition 36 crew on the International Space Station, and the first of two spacewalks scheduled in August. Yurchikhin and Misurkin will venture outside the station on Aug. 22 to install equipment for new science experiments.

Russian cosmonauts turn cable guys in spacewalk

Fyodor Yurchikhin

Russian cosmonauts are taking a spacewalk to lay cable for a new lab that's due to arrive at the International Space Station in a few months.

Fyodor Yurchikhin (fee-YOH'-dur yur-CHEE'-kihn) and Aleksandr Misurkin (miz-UR'-kin) floated outside Friday. It's one month since their Italian crewmate almost drowned when leaking water flooded his helmet during a spacewalk.

Aleksandr Misurkin

Luca Parmitano's spacesuit was provided by NASA.

Friday's spacewalkers are wearing Russian-made suits that differ from the U.S. version.

NASA is still investigating last month's close call. The problem appears to be in the life-support backpack.

The Russian Space Agency (RSA) plans to launch a new science lab by year's end.

This is the third of six Russian spacewalks planned for this year. The next one is next week.

ISS EVA: Astronauts tackle chore backlog on EVA spacewalk

Two spacewalking astronauts tackled a backlog of outdoor work at the International Space Station on Tuesday.

It was the first spacewalk for Italy—a major contributor to the orbiting lab—as ESA Astronaut Luca Parmitano floated out.

He was accompanied by NASA astronaut Christopher Cassidy, a veteran spacewalker.

Cassidy encountered a stubborn bolt as the maintenance work got underway, eating up precious minutes. A slim gap of just one-eighth of an inch stalled the installation of a new space-to-ground radio transmitter; the old one failed in December.

"Nothing jumps out at me," Cassidy reported to Mission Control. "I can see a little wear on the bolt."

Finally, the former Navy Seal managed to attach the transmitter. Mission Control said it appeared to be a tight fit.

Luca Parmitano

It was smoother going for Parmitano as he collected science experiments for return to Earth later this year aboard a commercial SpaceX capsule.

"Any curve balls over there, Luca?" Cassidy asked. "Nope," came the reply.

Their hodgepodge of chores also included collecting science experiments, removing a bad camera and relocating radiator grapple bars.

Some of the work was targeted for potential future breakdowns, making it easier to swap out bad parts when the time comes.

They had some cable work to perform in preparation for a new Russian lab due to arrive in December, and were asked to take pictures of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), a $2 billion cosmic ray detector launched on NASA's penultimate shuttle mission in 2011.

Scientists noticed unusual discoloration on the instrument's radiators and requested photos.

Christopher Cassidy

A second spacewalk, next Tuesday, will wrap up the job.

NASA said the tasks had been piling up over the past couple of years.

Managers wanted to wait until the to-do list was long before committing to the time-consuming spacewalks.

Parmitano, 36, an ESA astronaut and major in the Italian Air Force, arrived at the space station at the end of May for a six-month stay.

Cassidy, 43, will wrap up his half-year mission in September 2013.

The rest of the space station crew—one American and three Russians—assisted the spacewalkers on their EVA, from inside the ISS.

Russian astronauts take spacewalk at space station

In this frame grab from video provided by NASA, two Russian flight engineers perform maintenance on the International Space Station, Monday, June 24, 2013. 

The crew includes three Russians, two Americans and one Italian. 

The Italian and one American will conduct a pair of spacewalks for NASA in July. (AP Photo/NASA)

Two space station astronauts took care of a little outside maintenance Monday.

Russian flight engineers Fyodor Yurchikhin and Alexander Misurkin replaced a main valve on the International Space Station, after emerging from their 250-mile (400-kilometer)-high home.

"To save the time, I'm embroidering," one of the spacewalkers said in Russian, holding a clump of cord as he worked on the fluid valve. "It's not easy to handle all these ropes."

Later, he added, "OK, now we're doing bead work." Also on the spacewalkers' to-do list: installing clamps and retrieving science experiments.

Some of the work will pave the way for the arrival of a new Russian compartment at the end of this year.

The year's third spacewalk was under the direction of Russian Mission Control outside Moscow. The four other space station residents monitored the action from inside.

Yurchikhin arrived at the space station just a few weeks ago. Misurkin has been on board since March. The crew includes three Russians, two Americans and one Italian.

The Italian and one American will conduct a pair of spacewalks for NASA in July. Begun in 1998, the space station still is one room short.

The Russian Space Agency plans to launch a research lab to replace the Pirs air lock that has been in place since 2001.

An unmanned Proton rocket will hoist the lab, which also will serve as an air lock for spacewalk preparations and a docking port for visiting craft.

As for Pirs—Russian for pier—it will be cut loose before the launch of its replacement and burn up upon re-entry as junk.

NASA ISS EVA: Spacewalkers to try power repair again Wednesday

Astronauts Sunita Williams and Akihiko Hoshide will venture back outside the International Space Station Wednesday for another attempt to install a replacement power switching unit that could not be plugged into the lab's electrical grid during a spacewalk last Thursday.

Equipped with an assortment of impromptu tools, the astronauts will attempt to clean the bolts needed to lock the 220-pound box in place, as well as the threaded bolt holes.

During Thursday's spacewalk, metal shavings were seen inside the bolt receptacles when main bus switching unit No. 1 -- MBSU No. 1 -- was removed.

While Williams and Hoshide attempted to blow out any remaining fragments using compressed nitrogen, they were unable to tighten down the replacement MBSU enough to engage cooling fins and gangs of electrical connectors.

Without MBSU No. 1, the space station was only drawing power from six of its eight solar panels, forcing flight controllers to carefully manage the lab's electrical useage while spacewalk planners studied the bolt problem and what might be done to fix it.

While that work was going on, the station's electrical system suffered an unrelated problem Saturday afternoon.

A direct current switching unit, or DCSU, dropped off line because of a presumed short somewhere in the system, effectively cutting a third solar array out of the station's power grid.

While the DCSU trip did not greatly worsen the station's power status, it marked the first time in several years that the lab complex has been forced to operate on just five of its eight power channels.

The DCSU problem will be addressed later, possibly with another spacewalk to install a replacement.

But in the near term, getting MBSU No. 1 bolted down and tied back into the lab's power system is the crew's top priority.

The space station is equipped with eight 115-foot-long solar panels, four on each end of a football-field-size truss that runs at right angles to the lab's pressurized modules.

The arrays rotate like giant paddle wheels as the station's orbits Earth to maximize power generation.

Each pair of arrays extend from integrated electronics assemblies containing batteries, cooling equipment, charge-discharge units and a direct current switching unit that passes power downstream to the station and back into the IEA.

ISS: Suspected Leaky Valve Delays Russian Cosmonaut EVA

This still image from a NASA TV broadcast shows how Russian cosmonauts will move a crane outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk on Aug. 20, 2012.

CREDIT: NASA TV

A suspected leaky valve on the International Space Station stalled the start of a spacewalk by Russian cosmonauts for nearly an hour today (Aug. 20), forcing them to wait in bulky spacesuits until it was deemed safe to venture outside.

Veteran cosmonauts Gennady Padalka and Yuri Malenchenko were preparing to begin their space station spacewalk when the leak was detected during air pressure tests.

Russian flight controllers at the station's Mission Control Center in Moscow asked the cosmonauts to stay put until the leaky valve could be isolated.

Padalka, the space station's commander, agreed.

"We're in no rush," Padalka radioed Mission Control in Russian, which was translated in a NASA broadcast.

Flight controllers spent almost an hour trying to isolate the leaky valve and monitoring air pressure inside the station's airlock and adjoining modules.

Ultimately, they radioed good news to the spacewalkers — the leak was resolved and it was safe to proceed. It was welcome news for the cosmonauts.

"We're just hanging here and it's kind of boring," Padalka said.

At 11:37 a.m. EDT (1337 GMT) — nearly an hour late — the two cosmonauts finally opened the space station's airlock hatch and prepared to get to work.

NEEMO 16 – ESA In search of an asteroid

Earlier this year, ESA Astronaut Samantha was fortunate enough to be assigned to NASA’s Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) 16th mission to an underwater habitat called ‘Aquarius’, which lies about 20m under the ocean and nearly 8 miles off Florida’s Key Largo coast.

Over the years, NEEMO missions have been used by NASA to provide vital research and development data to support future exploration missions.

Living underwater is an excellent space analogue, the crew can practice EVA (‘spacewalk’) techniques using neutral buoyancy in water, whilst Aquarius offers an environment similar to a spacecraft: confined living space, total reliance on life support systems and no option for a quick return.

The crew can only surface safely after 12 hours of decompression – to do otherwise would risk severe decompression illness or ‘the bends’.

The NEEMO 16 crew comprises NASA astronaut and mission commander Dorothy (Dottie) Metcalf-Lindenburger, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, Professor of Astronomy Steve Squyres and Astronaut Samantha herself.

In addition, they will be supported by two habitat technicians who are also diving experts. The crew will spend 12 days living in Aquarius, conducting two EVAs each day.

Like any space mission, there will be an experienced ground support team who will manage operations, communications and logistics from their Mission Control Centre (MCC) on dry land.

To read the full ESA blog entry click on this link.

Robotic Refueling Mission Begins With Space Station Robotics

On July 12, 2011, spacewalking astronauts Mike Fossum and Ron Garan successfully transferred the Robotic Refueling Mission module from the Atlantis shuttle cargo bay to a temporary platform on the International Space Station's Dextre robot. Credit NASA.

NASA's highly anticipated Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM) began operations on the International Space Station with the Canadian Dextre robot and RRM tools March 7-9, 2012, marking important milestones in satellite-servicing technology and the use of the space station robotic capabilities.

A joint effort between NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), RRM is an external station experiment designed to demonstrate the technologies, tools, and techniques needed to robotically service and refuel satellites in orbit, especially those not built with servicing in mind. RRM represents the first time the space station's Dextre robot is used for technology research and development, moving it beyond robotic maintenance of the orbiting superstructure.

The RRM Gas Fittings Removal task represents the first use of RRM tools in orbit. During the task, robot operators at NASA's Johnson Space Center remotely control Dextre to retrieve RRM tools and go through the tasks required to remove representative fittings (located on the RRM module) used on many spacecraft for filling various fluids and gases prior to launch.

Subsequent RRM operations include practicing robotic satellite refueling and servicing tasks using Dextre, RRM tools, and the satellite piece parts and interfaces contained within and covering the cube-shaped RRM module.

The International Space Station played a critical role in RRM development. "RRM showcases the best of what the International Space Station can offer as a test bed for state-of-the-art space technologies," says Frank Cepollina, veteran leader of five Hubble Space Telescope servicing missions and Associate Director of the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office (SSCO) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

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ISS Russian cosmonauts Complete First Expedition 24 Spacewalk

Flight Engineers Fyodor Yurchikhin and Mikhail Kornienko concluded a six-hour, 42-minute spacewalk Tuesday at 6:53 a.m. EDT.

The cosmonauts began their spacewalk when they opened the hatches of the Pirs docking compartment at 12:11 a.m.

This was the 147th spacewalk overall in support of International Space Station assembly and maintenance.

The cosmonauts wore their Russian Orlan spacesuits to outfit the new Rassvet module for a Kurs automated rendezvous system capability for future dockings of Russian vehicles arriving at the station to link up to Rassvet. They also routed and mated Command and Data Handling cables on the Zvezda and Zarya modules.

A video camera was removed and replaced on the aft end of Zvezda then successfully tested. The old camera was safely jettisoned away from the station. The new camera will be used to provide television views of the final approach and docking of future European Automated Transfer Vehicles carrying cargo to the complex.

During the spacewalk, two objects were detected floating away from the station. One was tentatively identified as a cable clamp, left outside the station from a previous Russian spacewalk. That object and another, not conclusively identified, both departed well below the vicinity of the complex and pose no threat to the orbiting laboratory.

This was Kornienko's first spacewalk and Yurchikhin's fourth. Yurchikhin's first three spacewalks occurred when he was commander of Expedition 15 in 2007.

The second spacewalk of Expedition 24 is planned for August 5 by Flight Engineers Doug Wheelock and Tracy Caldwell Dyson in U.S. spacesuits out of the Quest airlock. They will install
a power cable to the Unity module in preparation for the installation of the Permanent Multipurpose Module during the STS-133 mission in November.