Two astronauts stepped outside the International Space Station on Thursday to carry on upgrades to the outpost's power system, with the work centered on the station's solar arrays. The spacewalk was aimed at completing the next phase of that effort, which keeps the orbiting laboratory supplied with electricity for its crew and experiments.
The solar arrays are the large wings that gather sunlight and convert it into the power the station runs on. Keeping them in good condition is a routine but essential part of maintaining the complex, and upgrading them allows the station to operate with the capacity it needs over the long term. Spacewalks like this one are among the few occasions when crew members work directly on the exterior of the station, where tasks cannot be done from inside.
The report that prompted this story is a brief news item from Fox 35 Orlando. It confirms that the spacewalk took place and that its goal was to finish the power system upgrades, but it does not give the names of the astronauts, the length of the excursion, or the specific tasks completed. It also does not say whether every planned upgrade was finished, so that question remains open.
Further details on what was accomplished during the spacewalk and whether additional excursions are needed to complete the solar array work had not been released in the material available for this report.
Credit. Based on reporting for FOX 35 Orlando. Is this your work? Write to us.
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