Upcoming Spacewalks at NASA
NASA is set to provide insights into two forthcoming spacewalks aimed at completing the installation of solar arrays and enhancing the power systems of the International Space Station. A news conference is scheduled for 2 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, October 20, from the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The event will be accessible via several streaming platforms.
Nasa Officials to Speak
Key NASA figures participating in the news conference will include Gaurang Patel, the operations integration manager for the Low Earth Orbit Program, and Garrett Hehn, the spacewalk flight director from the Flight Operations Directorate.
Members of the U.S. media wishing to attend in person must reach out to the Johnson newsroom by 3 p.m. on Monday, October 19. Those wishing to join via phone should also request dial-in information by the same deadline. Questions from media representatives must be submitted no later than 15 minutes prior to the start of the conference.
Details of the Spacewalks
On Thursday, October 29, NASA astronaut Anil Menon and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutryk will conduct U.S. spacewalk 100. They will exit the Quest airlock to install and deploy the seventh International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Array (IROSA) on the 2A electrical power channel. This new solar array will enhance the station’s power supply, which is crucial for its safe deorbit procedures.
The following week, on Thursday, November 5, Menon and Kutryk will participate in U.S. spacewalk 101 to install and deploy the eighth and final IROSA on the 3B channel, thus completing the power upgrades.
These final two solar arrays will finalize the power system enhancements for the space station. Collectively, the eight roll-out arrays are expected to boost the station’s power generation capacity by up to 30%, increasing it from 160 kilowatts to around 215 kilowatts.
Further Information
NASA will provide more details regarding the coverage of U.S. spacewalks 100 and 101 as the dates approach. The spacewalks will be the 285th and 286th conducted for the assembly, maintenance, and upgrades of the International Space Station.
For further updates about the research, operations, and crews aboard the International Space Station, NASA encourages interested individuals to check its official resources.
Source: NASA
