Two NASA astronauts are expected to launch two spacecraft in a week from outside the International Space Station.
The first of the two spacecraft will be on Wednesday and will focus on completing the installation of Bartolomeo’s science payments platform outside the European Space Agency’s Columbus model, according to NASA media adviser.
Operations include replacing a nickel-hydrogen battery with a lithium-ion one. The pair will also update cameras with high-definition ones. And adding antenna and cable rigging for power and data connections, including high-bandwidth connection for European ground stations.
The Bartolomeo platform, named for the Italian brother Christopher Columbus’ younger brother, was taken to the space station in March last year.
NASA flight engineers Michael Hopkins, a former spacecraft veteran, and Victor Glover will be outside the space station for about 6½ hours starting at 7 a.m. EST.
The second spacewalk, on February 1, will begin battery replacement work, as well as replacing old cameras with high-definition ones on the Destiny lab and updating cameras and lights on the arm camera system a robot outside the Kibo model.
Both spacecraft will be broadcast on NASA’s website, starting at 5:30 am EST.
Since 2017, the station has been replacing batteries on the model but one of them has failed, and that needs to be replaced now, according to Space Station deputy manager Kenny Todd.
The second spacewalk is expected to “make sure we’re good for the long haul” after the first walkthrough installs a communications antenna and completes some clothing work, Todd said.
The astronauts have been preparing for about a year for the mission, he said.
For the past 20 years, 242 people from 19 countries have visited the unique microgravity laboratory which has hosted more than 3,000 research studies from researchers in 108 countries and regions.