US and French astronauts complete ISS spacewalk to install solar panels


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A pair of astronauts from France and the US completed a six-hour spacewalk on Sunday to install new solar panels to boost power supplies at the International Space Station, Nasa said.

French astronaut Thomas Pesquet said it was a "huge team effort" after completing the operation with his American colleague Shane Kimbrough.

Mr Pesquet is part of the European Space Agency, while Mr Kimbrough is with Nasa.

The two men, who arrived on the space station in late April, activated the internal batteries in their space suits at 11.42am GMT and opened the hatch to the ISS airlock.

They continued the work of positioning, attaching and deploying six new-generation solar panels, referred to as iROSA, which stands for roll-out solar array.

The panels, 19 metres long when fully extended, were delivered to the station this month by an unmanned SpaceX craft.

The astronauts are scheduled to complete the installation of a second solar-panel array on Friday.

The new panels, which will power daily operations and research and science projects, are expected to last for 15 years.

A first spacewalk on Wednesday was beset with several problems, notably issues with Mr Kimbrough's spacesuit.

He temporarily lost data on his display unit, and then suffered a brief sharp increase in the suit's pressure reading.

Sunday's outing was the fourth time the two astronauts had ventured into space together.

They carried out two spacewalks on a mission in 2017. They were tethered to the space station as it orbited the Earth at an altitude of 400 kilometres.

There have now been 240 ISS spacewalks as astronauts carried out the work of assembling, maintaining and upgrading the station.

  • French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, left, of the European Space Agency is attached to a foot restraint while installing new solar panels on the International Space Station, with US astronaut Shane Kimbrough. AFP
    French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, left, of the European Space Agency is attached to a foot restraint while installing new solar panels on the International Space Station, with US astronaut Shane Kimbrough. AFP
  • The astronauts installed the panels in a six-hour spacewalk on Sunday, 20 June. AP Photo
    The astronauts installed the panels in a six-hour spacewalk on Sunday, 20 June. AP Photo
  • The pair attached, positioned and deployed six new-generation panels, known as Roll-Out Solar Array, or iROSA. AP Photo
    The pair attached, positioned and deployed six new-generation panels, known as Roll-Out Solar Array, or iROSA. AP Photo
  • Once installed, the panels unrolled over a 10-minute period. Watching them unfurl, Thomas Pesquet described the process as 'beautiful'. AP Photo
    Once installed, the panels unrolled over a 10-minute period. Watching them unfurl, Thomas Pesquet described the process as 'beautiful'. AP Photo
  • A sideview of the newly installed solar panels seen from US astronaut Shane Kimbrough's helmet camera. Five more rollout panels have still to be installed. AFP
    A sideview of the newly installed solar panels seen from US astronaut Shane Kimbrough's helmet camera. Five more rollout panels have still to be installed. AFP
  • US astronaut Shane Kimbrough seen from ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet's helmet camera, fixing bolts on the new solar panels. AFP
    US astronaut Shane Kimbrough seen from ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet's helmet camera, fixing bolts on the new solar panels. AFP
  • A view of Shane Kimbrough, left, and Thomas Pesquet, at work shows the scale of the iROSA solar panels. AFP
    A view of Shane Kimbrough, left, and Thomas Pesquet, at work shows the scale of the iROSA solar panels. AFP
  • Thomas Pesquet uses a space drill while installing the new solar panels. Parts of the ageing International Space Station date from 1998, and the panels with boost energy supplies. AFP
    Thomas Pesquet uses a space drill while installing the new solar panels. Parts of the ageing International Space Station date from 1998, and the panels with boost energy supplies. AFP
  • Shane Kimbrough seen from Thomas Pesquet's helmet camera during unfolding and alignment of the solar panel. The 19-metre panels should have a 15-year lifespan. AFP
    Shane Kimbrough seen from Thomas Pesquet's helmet camera during unfolding and alignment of the solar panel. The 19-metre panels should have a 15-year lifespan. AFP
  • The Earth provides a dramatic backdrop to the newly installed solar panels on the International Space Station. AFP
    The Earth provides a dramatic backdrop to the newly installed solar panels on the International Space Station. AFP