Watch Russian spacewalkers boot up a European robotic arm on the International Space Station today (Image Credit: Space.com)
Two Russian cosmonauts will continue booting up the European Robotic Arm in a spacewalk today (Aug. 17), and you can watch their activities for free.
Expedition 67 commander Oleg Artemyev and flight engineer Denis Matveev are scheduled to start their 6.5-hour International Space Station spacewalk around 9:20 a.m. EDT (1320 GMT), according to NASA (opens in new tab).
Coverage of the spacewalk is expected to begin around 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT). You can watch live here at Space.com in the link above, on NASA’s YouTube (opens in new tab) channel or directly at NASA’s website (opens in new tab).
Spacewalks from Roscosmos, Russia’s federal space agency, are typically conducted in the Russian language. That said, live interpretation in English is usually available in real time as the cosmonauts conduct their activities.
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The cosmonauts plan to install cameras on the arm, along with moving an external control panel and removing launch restraints near the “hands” (end effectors) of the arm, according to NASA. The duo will also “test a rigidizing mechanism on the arm that will be used to facilitate the grasping of payloads,” the agency stated.
That grasping capability will be key when the European robotic arm moves around payloads and equipment outside the ISS Russian segment. Once ready to go, the new arm will join the Canadian-built Canadarm2 robotic arm and the Japanese arm that already support station maintenance, operations, and research.
Artemyev will wear a Russian Orlan spacesuit with red stripes, while Matveev will wear a Russian Orlan suit with blue stripes. This will be the seventh spacewalk for Artemyev and the third for Matveev, NASA stated.
Wednesday’s spacewalk will also be the seventh EVA at the ISS in 2022 and the 252nd supporting its assembly and maintenance since 1998, based on previous spacewalks.
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