NASA astronauts to conduct spacewalk to upgrade ISS on Mar 15; here's how to watch live

NASA has scheduled not one, but two spacewalks wherein a pair of astronauts will step outside International Space Station (ISS) to upgre orbiting laboratory. spacewalks would be conducted by astronauts Kayla Barron and Raja Chari and each of two assignments would last approximately six hours and 30 minutes. spacewalks are targeted for March 15 and a week later on March 23, which would be streamed live by NASA. Interestingly, spacewalk would be Chari's first of his career whereas Barron would be stepping out for second time.

March 15 spacewalk

Astronauts Kayla Barron and Raja Chari would step out of ir module for March 15 assignment designated U.S. EVA 79. Under ir spacewalk, duo would upgre solar arrays aboard ISS and install brackets and struts to support future installation of an ISS Roll-Out Solar Array (iROSA). NASA says that two of six iROSAs have been deployed on station so far and four ditional arrays are yet to be delivered. se arrays, once installed, will augment six of station’s eight power channels, increasing station’s total available power from 160 kilowatts to up to 215 kilowatts.

coverage for this spacewalk would begin at 5:00 pm (IST) and interested viewers can tune in to NASA Television, agency’s website, and  NASA app.

March 23 spacewalk

two astronauts will again step out of ISS for ir next spacewalk on March 23 for second upgration assignment that would last six-and-a-half hours. Designated U.S. EVA 80, spacewalk will see two astronauts install hoses on a Riator Beam Valve Module that routes ammonia through station’s heat-rejecting riators to keep systems at proper temperature. Installation of a power and data cable on Columbus module's Bartolomeo science platform would also take place. In dition to this, astronauts will also replace an external camera on station’s truss along with making or upgres to station hardware.

Coverage for second spacewalk would begin at 7:20 pm (IST) and will be aired on NASA Television, agency’s website, and  NASA app.

Image: NASA