The spacewalks are to install new solar arrays over the existing arrays on the farthest port side of the International Space Station. These arrays, called IROSA for ISS Roll-Out Solar Array, had to be taken from their storage area outside the Space Station, passed from spacewalker to spacewalker to the worksite. There the rolled arrays were secured, unfolded, connected and then unfurled.
During the first spacewalk on Wednesday 16 June a small technical problem in Shane’s spacesuit required him to return to the airlock and restart his Display and Control Module. This module provides astronauts with continuous information on pressure, temperature and other vital data during a spacewalk. Though the restart was successful and Shane was in no danger, it delayed the duo’s work, preventing them from completing installation of the first new solar array as planned.
Spacewalk of 16 June 2021 with Shane and Thomas. Credits: Roscosmos–O. Novitsky
After 7 hours and 15 minutes of spacewalking they secured IROSA and cleaned up the worksite for another day before returning to the Quest airlock.
On Sunday 20 June Shane and Thomas were helped into their spacesuits yet again for their fourth spacewalk together. This time it was to complete installation of the first new solar array and get ahead on the second.
During this spacewalk the duo unfolded the solar arrays that are rolled into tubes for transport, aligned them, connected data cables and secured them to the mounting bracket. Connecting the power lines must be done during the orbital night-time as a precaution to avoid any chance of electric shock.
Shane holding IROSA solar arrays. Credits: ESA/NASA–T. Pesquet
As Thomas and Shane waited for the night to arrive, Shane’s helmet lights and camera partially detached from his helmet but Thomas used some wire to successfully reattach them as a temporary fix.
From there the spacewalk went smoothly. Shane and Thomas connected the new solar array, watched it unfurl and prepared for the installation of the second new solar array. The second spacewalk lasted 6 hours and 28 minutes, with the duo arriving back at the airlock at 20:10 CEST (19:10 BST).
https://twitter.com/Thom_astro/status/1406866417962700803
Mission planners are working on a third spacewalk together to install the second pair of new solar arrays. This is also planned for installation during Thomas’s mission Alpha and will go on the P6 truss’ 4B power channel, opposite the first new solar array. This spacewalk is planned for Friday June 25, and will be retransmitted on esawebtv.esa.int
Thomas now has spent 26 hours and 15 minutes on spacewalks over his two missions on the International Space Station, Proxima and Alpha. This year ESA celebrates 20 years of ESA astronauts living and working on the International Space Station. The Space Station is constantly under construction and being maintained and ESA astronauts have performed many spacewalks to ensure it continues its essential role as a hub for science and research in space. The new solar arrays, will increase the power available for research, science and Station systems.
List of ESA aspacewalkers last updated on January 2020. An update will follow after spacewalk season! Credits: ESA