Both members of the NASA crew are space te walkers at this location. Glover has already operated two spacewalks since arriving at the space station in November. This will be their third.
Rubin previously operated the spacewalk during its first orbit around the space station in 2016, so this will also be her third.
If this Sunday’s spacewalk sounds earlier than the previous spacewalks – especially if it’s happening on the weekends – well, that’s it. But “it’s not a Monday of Friday’s program,” Kenny Todd, deputy manager of the International Space Station program, recalled during a press conference Wednesday.
Rubins and Glover will prepare for the upcoming Solar Array upgrades by assembling and installing modification kits.
While the station’s existing solar array is still functioning well, it is declining. This degradation is expected because they have only 15 years of life and were installed in December 2000 – so they have tied up the out, so to speak.
According to NASA, a brand-new solar array will be placed at the station earlier this year in front of the current six arrays, which will increase the power of the station from 160 kW to 215 kW. The solar array will begin moving toward the space station on a SpaceX vehicle in June.
During the spacewalk, Rubins will become crew member 1 in 1 suit with a red stripe, and Glover will be crew member 2, with no stripes.
Rubins will join astronaut Sochi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency on March 5 to complete a number of tasks, including ammonia venting from the initial ammonia system, replacing the wireless video transceiver assembly, and installing the “stiffener”. Quest airlock on thermal cover. This will prevent the cover from blowing when the hatch is opened and the atmosphere is released.
This will be the 235th spacewalk in the station’s history.
From Earth to Space
Harris said, “Victor, it’s good to see you. We’re proud of the history you’re making.”
Glover is the first African American to fly a long-range mission to a space station in the history of a rotation laboratory.
During their conversation, Harris and Glover discussed what inspired them to come before Glover.
“I think about that piece over and over again,” Glover said. “All seven of us here are part of the wonderful heritage of human spacecraft. This is a time we should celebrate and appreciate, but what I’m really excited about is the future of human spacecraft and the fact that this will happen.” “That’s what we’re going to do. We want to make sure we can keep doing new things.”
Harris agreed. “My mother used to say to me, ‘Kamala, you can be before many things. Make sure you’re not the last.’ “
When Harris asked Glover about his first two spacewalks and his perspective on Earth, Glover said he took the advice of “fellow crew members” to “keep your world small, keep your focus on this thing right in front of you and slowly widen the world.” View. “
The first time she saw Earth during spacewalk, she wanted to enjoy it for hours, Glover said. But he focused on the many tasks ahead and the spacewalk “busy and beautiful.”
Glover talked about the Earth’s space, fragile, especially our thin atmosphere, and “how special it is to live human life on Earth.”
“He wants me to do as much as I can to protect him,” Glover said.
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