According to Lbc, US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut Kate Rubins and Japan Aerospace Research Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi Nagouchi have sent space towards the far end of the station to prepare the platform where solar panels will be installed at the ISS. went for a walk.
The walk, which lasted for 6 hours and 56 minutes, was the 4th successful spacewalk in 2021.
Rubins and Soichi will replace worn bolts with new ones, fix loose ones, and brackets and support braces were installed in the slots where the solar panels would be fitted, for ease of installation.
Cameras on the astronauts in NASA’s 236th spacewalk on the ISS recorded postcard images of the Earth.
“What a view! Rubins and Soichi are currently working outside the Space Station, about 402 kilometers above the earth,” NASA shared video footage of the astronauts going out of the station on its Twitter account.
NASA aims to increase the energy capacity of the station by 30 percent, enough for more astronauts and equipment, as the energy need will increase with the crew that SpaceX and Boeing will send this year.
It was stated that the existing 8 solar panels, the oldest of which was installed 20 years ago, deteriorated over time, and the new advanced solar panels produced by Boeing will be sent to the space station by SpaceX.
It was reported that this walk was the last experience of the two astronauts, whose 6-month missions will end soon.
Rubins is expected to return to Earth in a Russian capsule with two Russian cosmonauts in mid-April, while Soichi is expected to return to Earth with Victor Glover and two other Nasa astronauts in April or May at the latest.
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