Suit Up! NASA Astronauts Are Getting Ready for Three Space Walks This August
Quick Summary
NASA has announced three spacewalks outside the International Space Station (ISS) this August. Astronauts will work to upgrade the station’s power, replace a communications part, and connect important cables. Today, NASA held a special news conference to tell the world all about it.
What Happened?
On July 30, NASA held a news conference at Johnson Space Center in Houston to preview three exciting spacewalks planned for next month. The three walks are scheduled for August 6, August 13, and August 25.
During a spacewalk, astronauts put on thick, pressurized spacesuits and float outside the space station. Imagine stepping out of your house — but instead of a backyard, you’re floating 250 miles above Earth with nothing but stars around you!
Each spacewalk has a specific job. The first two walks will focus on upgrading the station’s solar arrays — the big wing-like panels that look like giant butterfly wings and catch sunlight to power the station. Astronauts will also replace a communications antenna, which is kind of like swapping out a broken Wi-Fi router, but in orbit. The third walk will connect power and data cables that keep the station running smoothly.
The crew preparing for this work is called Expedition 75, led by Commander Jessica Meir. Earlier this week, the crew spent time carefully checking their spacesuits to make sure every seal, glove, and helmet was in perfect condition. A spacesuit is basically a personal spacecraft — it keeps astronauts alive in the vacuum of space.
These three walks will be the 281st, 282nd, and 283rd spacewalks ever done to build and maintain the space station. That’s a lot of time floating in space!
Why Does It Matter?
The ISS has been orbiting Earth since 1998 — that’s over 25 years! Just like a car or a bicycle, it needs regular check-ups and part replacements to keep working. These spacewalks help keep the station safe and ready for science.
Upgrading the solar arrays is especially important. Newer arrays can capture more energy from the Sun. More energy means more power for science experiments, equipment, and life support systems for the crew.
Big Words
- Spacewalk — when an astronaut leaves a spacecraft to work outside in space; the official term is EVA, which stands for Extravehicular Activity
- Solar array — a large panel covered in solar cells that turns sunlight into electricity, like a giant solar-powered calculator panel
- Communications antenna — a device that sends and receives signals between the space station and scientists on Earth
- Expedition — the name NASA gives to each long-duration crew mission aboard the ISS; Expedition 75 is the 75th such mission
- Pressurized — filled with air at the right pressure so a person can breathe; a spacesuit is pressurized to protect astronauts in the vacuum of space
Fun Fact
A spacesuit worn during a spacewalk weighs about 280 pounds on Earth — about as much as a large adult male lion! In the weightlessness of space, though, astronauts don’t feel that weight at all.
Think About It
If you could do one job during a spacewalk on the ISS, what would you choose to fix or build, and why?
Sources
- NASA.gov — NASA to Cover Three US Spacewalks, Host Preview News Conference
- NASA Blogs (station) — Commander Jessica Meir and Crew Check Spacesuits, Prep for Spacewalks
- Daily Galaxy — NASA Prepares Three Spacewalks That Could Change The Future Of The Space Station