NASA astronauts successfully completed their spacewalk to the International Space Station (ISS) Wednesday to replace a malfunctioning electrical unit, bringing full power back to the spacecraft.
The six-and-a-half hour spacewalk is the second one to take place in two weeks for the space agency, with NASA's Reid Wiseman and Butch Wilmore getting past uncooperative bolts to bring the energy capability back to 100 percent with only two minutes left, according to The Associated Press. The objective was to change the voltage regulator on the space station, which is designed to keep the station system from overloading with excess power.
The ISS has been operating since spring, with only seven of its eight solar-power channels functioning at the time. It experienced a shortage with its voltage regulator in May and couldn't have it replaced until recently since NASA had gone a year without conducting a nonemergency spacewalk. That walk ended because of astronauts had with spacesuits, with one almost dying from a flooded helmet in 2013.
NASA's most recent spacewalk took place on Oct. 7th, and Wednesday's was the first for Wilmore, The Associated Press reported. Wiseman and Wilmore waited until darkness to try to replace the 330-pound old voltage regulator in order to avoid getting electrocuted.
"I see Cairo!" Wiseman said, as he and his partner looked back down at Earth. "Can't quite make out the pyramids, though."
After the next sunrise, the two astronauts removed the old regulator and put the new one in, but experienced problems with making sure it was secure. They waited for the next orbital sunrise and flight controllers advised Wiseman, with 10 minutes left, to try to tighten the bolt with a ratchet wrench, which worked.
After flight controllers checked the new system, the mission was declared a success with one minute and 45 seconds left, The Associated Press reported. The astronauts ended their work with the installation of a new camera. A Russian spacewalk is scheduled to take place next week.
"It's been a successful day," Mission Control said at the end of the spacewalk.
