{"id":11808,"date":"2021-03-13T17:12:23","date_gmt":"2021-03-13T09:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/spacewalkers-vent-coolant-lines-and-mate-cables-outside-space-station\/"},"modified":"2021-03-13T17:12:23","modified_gmt":"2021-03-13T09:12:23","slug":"spacewalkers-vent-coolant-lines-and-mate-cables-outside-space-station","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/spacewalkers-vent-coolant-lines-and-mate-cables-outside-space-station\/","title":{"rendered":"Spacewalkers vent coolant lines and mate cables outside space station"},"content":{"rendered":"

STORY WRITTEN FOR CBS NEWS & USED WITH PERMISSION<\/p>\n

\"\"
Astronaut Soichi Noguchi shared this photo of astronaut Victor Glover on a spacewalk Saturday, with this caption: \u201cFLY NAVY! IKE
@AstroVicGlover
soars over US LAB module.\u201d Credit: Soichi Noguchi\/JAXA\/NASA<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Struggling with balky electrical connectors, spacewalker Mike Hopkins managed to plug in and secure three of four thick power and data cables Saturday that are needed by a European experiment platform, leaving one cable for additional troubleshooting.<\/p>\n

Hopkins and crewmate Victor Glover also vented residual ammonia coolant from two jumpers used to service the station\u2019s thermal control system, stowing the hoses in different locations for future use if needed.<\/p>\n

One jumper spewed more ammonia ice crystals than expected when it was vented to space, but the astronauts said their suits did not appear to be contaminated with any flakes that could be brought back into the station.<\/p>\n

Glover replaced a wireless camera transceiver and attached a stiffener to a flexible thermal cover on the Quest airlock\u2019s outer hatch. He complained of an unusual irritation that briefly caused his right eye to tear up, but said repeated blinking seemed to help.<\/p>\n

Hopkins also reconfigured a HAM radio antenna on the European Columbus module that failed to work correctly after a recent upgrade and both spacewalkers began work to route two ethernet cables that eventually will be part of an expanded external wi-fi network.<\/p>\n

All of the major tasks originally were planned for spacewalks earlier this month but they were deferred after the assembly of two solar array support fixtures took longer than expected.<\/p>\n

Floating in the Quest airlock, Hopkins and Glover began Saturday\u2019s excursion when they switched their spacesuits to battery power at 8:14 a.m. EST, kicking off the 237th spacewalk, or EVA, devoted to station assembly and maintenance since construction began in 1998.<\/p>\n

The first task on the agenda was to safely vent the two ammonia jumpers, used for loading coolant in the station\u2019s thermal control system and for helping track down leaks. The jumpers were located on the far left end of the lab\u2019s solar power truss, a segment known as port 6, or P6.<\/p>\n

After confirming no contamination with ammonia ice crystals, the spacewalkers stowed one jumper on the P6 segment for any future troubleshooting that might be needed on that side of the station while the other was mounted outside the airlock for use if needed later on the right side.<\/p>\n