Cassidy and Behnken Conclude Spacewalk to Replace Batteries

NASA Astronauts Chris Cassidy and Bob Behnken during spacewalk to replace batteries to upgrade the power supply capability
NASA Astronauts Chris Cassidy and Bob Behnken during spacewalk to replace batteries to upgrade the power supply capability

NASA astronauts Chris Cassidy and Robert Behnken concluded their spacewalk at 1:39 p.m. EDT, after six hours and seven minutes. The two NASA astronauts completed all the work planned for this first of four spacewalks to replace batteries that provide power for the station’s solar arrays on the starboard truss of the complex as well as initial tasks originally planned for the second scheduled spacewalk next Wednesday. The new batteries provide an improved and more efficient power capacity for operations.

The spacewalkers removed five of six aging nickel-hydrogen batteries for one of two power channels for the starboard 6 (S6) truss, installed two of three new lithium-ion batteries, and installed two of three associated adapter plates that are used to complete the power circuit to the new batteries. Mission control reports that the two new batteries are working.

Cassidy and Behnken are scheduled to complete the upgrade to this initial power channel in a second spacewalk on July 1, during which they will install one more lithium-ion battery and one more adapter plate and remove the sixth nickel-hydrogen battery that will no longer be used.

This was the seventh spacewalk for both each astronaut. Cassidy now has spent a total of 37 hours and 21 minutes spacewalking, and Behnken has spent a total of 43 hours and 40 minutes spacewalking.

Space station crew members have conducted 228 spacewalks in support of assembly and maintenance of the orbiting laboratory. Spacewalkers have now spent a total of 59 days, 18 hours, and 33 minutes working outside the station.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on Twitter as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

 

8 thoughts on “Cassidy and Behnken Conclude Spacewalk to Replace Batteries”

  1. So proud to see the ISS performing well. I spent many years working ISS support equipment engineering and ISS design knowledge capture at Rocketdyne. God’s speed to the ISS crew and all who support space exploration.

  2. Love you guys. So great to have some positive to think about at this difficult time in our country. We look forward to celebrating your return to earth:)

  3. I watched the whole thing and was fascinated . I wish i could see earth from the ISS for myself .
    The idea of weightlessness is so fascinating .
    Keep safe all abored

  4. How do you count the duration of the space walk, is it just the time they spend outside, excluding all the procedures inside ISS?

    1. A U.S. spacewalk officially begins when the spacesuit is turned on to battery power. The spacewalk officially ends when the spacewalkers are back inside the Quest airlock and repressurization begins.

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