NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara successfully completed a spacewalk of 6 hours and 42 minutes on October 28, 2022. The spacewalk began at 8:05 a.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and concluded at 2:47 p.m. EST. Moghbeli, designated as EV1, was easily recognizable in her suit with red stripes, while O’Hara, designated as EV2, wore an unmarked suit.
During their spacewalk, the astronauts focused on an important task of replacing one of the 12 trundle bearing assemblies on the port solar alpha rotary joint. This component plays a vital role in the operation of the International Space Station’s solar array. Fortunately, mission control confirmed that the solar array was functioning well after the successful replacement.
Additionally, Moghbeli and O’Hara removed a handling bar fixture and resolved an issue with a cable that was interfering with an external camera. However, they faced a setback when they were unable to complete the task of removing and stowing the Radio Frequency Group communications electronics box.
In an unfortunate incident, one of the tool bags was inadvertently lost during the spacewalk. However, after assessing the situation, it was determined that the risk of the tool bag recontacting the station was low, and therefore no action was required.
Moghbeli and O’Hara are currently on a science mission as part of NASA’s Artemis program aboard the International Space Station. This program aims to explore the Moon and prepare for future human missions to Mars. Their contribution to the mission demonstrates the dedication and expertise of NASA astronauts in pushing the boundaries of space exploration.
Looking ahead, SpaceX is scheduled to launch its 29th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station on November 7 at 9:16 p.m. EST. The Falcon 9 rocket and cargo Dragon spacecraft will carry approximately 6,500 pounds of supplies, research, and hardware to support the ongoing activities aboard the space station.
As space exploration continues to captivate the world, the achievements of astronauts like Moghbeli and O’Hara serve as a reminder of the incredible work being done to advance our understanding of the universe.
