from the continuing-saga-of-low-Earth-orbit dept.
Spacewalking astronauts complete a space station battery upgrade years in the making:
Two NASA astronauts completed the second in a pair of spacewalks [on Feb 1, 2021], installing a European science platform and finishing up a long series of battery replacements outside the International Space Station.
[...] spacewalk, which began at 7:56 a.m. EST (1256 GMT), was the 234th spacewalk, or extravehicular activity (EVA), in support of space station assembly, maintenance and upgrades, according to NASA. The 233rd spacewalk took place just a few days prior, on Jan. 27.
This spacewalk was conducted by NASA astronaut Victor Glover and NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins. This marked Glover's second spacewalk and Hopkin's fourth spacewalk.
"Enjoying the view," Hopkins said about the view of the Earth from space during the spacewalk.
Glover and Hopkins had a variety of tasks to tackle when they stepped out into space. [T]heir main objectives [...] included configuring a battery and adapter plate and installing three separate cameras[.]
[...] Following today's spacewalk, the Expedition 64 astronauts will conduct two additional spacewalks in the near future, according to NASA. Next, Glover and [NASA astronaut Kate] Rubins will prepare the space station's power system for the installation of new solar arrays and, in the spacewalk after that, Rubins and [Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Soichi] Noguchi will continue to upgrade space station components, according to NASA. The exact dates for those spacewalks have not yet been set.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 04 2021, @08:01AM
... no one can hear the "battery low" beep going on and on for years.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 04 2021, @02:26PM (1 child)
Fucking NASA boondoggles... Elon Musk could change a battery in hours for under twenty bucks.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday February 04 2021, @02:56PM
How would this benefit the contractors?
(I mean the contractors who are supposed to benefit, not SpaceX.)
The server will be down for replacement of vacuum tubes, belts, worn parts and lubrication of gears and bearings.