Two American astronauts were successful, Sunday, three spacewalks in the last eight days, which lasted less than scheduled, to prepare the International Space Station (ISS) for future docking space taxis, Reuters.
Commander on the ISS crew, Barry "Butch" Wilmore and flight engineer Terry Virts were prepared to spend almost seven hours outside the station to install antennas, cables and tools to facilitate browsing the outer structure of the ISS. But the two astronauts who made the third out in the space of eight days aboard the ISS returned after half past five.
The aim is to prepare outputs mooring systems for space vehicles that are developed by Boeing and Space Exploration Technologies / SpaceX.
Wilmore and Virts floated outside the station, coming through Quest airlock shortly after 12.00 GMT, according to NASA Television transmission. Their mission was to install over 122 meters of cable, a pair of antennas and reflectors on the new spacecraft will use to navigate to the ISS and dock.
After leaving the space Virts announced that a small amount of water has accumulated in his helmet, something that happened during another trip into space last week.
"There is a problem with the safety of the crew," said Daniel Huot, commentator of the mission.
In July 2013, the Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano came close to drowning after his helmet was filled with water. NASA canceled then immediately exit the area and it has suspended the planned while engineers sought causing the problem. Incidents costume worn by Terry Virts not related to the 2013, NASA announced.
Spacewalks on Sunday followed by other two that took place last week, during which they were installed data cables and power adapters for two docking ports that are scheduled to go into space later this year. One of these adapters will be installed in the airlock previously used the NASA space shuttle, which were withdrawn from service in 2011. The second system will be attached to a docking hatch connecting adjacent node Harmony.
Since retiring space shuttles, the United States is dependent on Russia to carry human crews to and from the Space Station.
NASA wants to break Russia's monopoly before the end of 2017, purchasing transportation services from Boeing and SpaceX.
ISS is a space project worth 100 billion dollars, funded mainly by the United States and the achievement of which 16 countries participate. The station is continuously occupied since November 2000 by joint teams.
ISS is in orbit at an altitude of 400 kilometers, making a complete revolution around the Earth every 90 minutes, sailing with average speed of 28,000 km / h. Weighing over 408 tons, ISS offers a living area equivalent to that of a Boeing 747.
The duration of the International Space Station was originally set up in 2020 but NASA announced on January 8, 2014 extension for another four years, until 2024, of the space program. Russian space agency Roscosmos announced in late February 2015 that it would continue to participate in the ISS program until 2024.
Source: descopera.ro
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