Space station spacewalk a success

Crew repairs International Space Station

Expedition 50 astronauts completed the first of three spacewalks outside the International Space Station to prepare for the future arrival of U.S. commercial crew spacecraft and upgrade station hardware.

JACKSONVILLE, FL – What a day on the job for astronauts aboard the International Space Station Friday. Today's spacewalk was a success preparing docking connections for a future SpaceX Dragon cargo ship arrival. 

For over six and a half hours Commander Shane Kimbrough of NASA and Flight Engineer Thomas Pesquet of ESA (European Space Agency floated over 249 miles above Earth to get the Pressurized Mating Adapter-3 ready to accommodate commercial crew vehicle dockings.  

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The PMA-3 provides the pressurized interface between the station modules and the International Docking Adapter.

Today's spacewalk is one of three Expedition 50 astronauts will conduct three outside the International Space Station (ISS) in late March and early April to prepare for the future arrival of U.S. commercial crew spacecraft and upgrade station hardware.

The next spacewalks are scheduled for April 2 and April 7. NASA TV will provide complete coverage beginning each day at 6:30 a.m., with the six-and-a-half hour spacewalks scheduled to begin about 8 a.m.


About the Author:

After covering the weather from every corner of Florida and doing marine research in the Gulf, Mark Collins settled in Jacksonville to forecast weather for The First Coast.