Tim Peake / Tim Kopra Spacewalk (Eva)

[Jonk]

This is being streamed live on many outlets, but the main one's here: www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/#public

It's the whole thing live, real space work and they exited the air lock at 12:55, especting to last for 6.5 hours so plenty to come.

Both astronauts appear fine, but sound like it's hard work already!

For those who don't know, they are replacing an SSU (Sequential Shunt Unit), which is part of the solar array turning solar energy into useable electricity.

They are also installing some cables on the outside.

The are starting the removal now, whilst the ISS is on the darkness.

[Macavity]

Thanks for that. I liked the Graun blog entry:

Kopra holds it up for Peake to inspect - he’s looking any charring or problems with the unit’s electrical connectors

that might have caused it to fail. Peake says there’s no sign of charring or broken or bent pins.

Problem must have been internal.

Ah, so like our own, more EARTHLY, Astronomical hobby?

[Jonk]

Is that the offical line when a mount stops working?!

'No broken or bent pins, or charring, must be internal'!

I bet it is something like an SMD transitor has shorted or something.

The sort of thing you can fix at your desk with a soldering iron in 5 minutes!

[Astroboffin]

A picture of Tim Peake returning faulty equipment back to the airlock, before continuing with another job.

AB

[DaveS]

Well, at least it's not an AE 35 unit

I'll get my spacesuit.

[brantuk]

I heard he was replacing a 17ah Celestron powerpack lol. :grin:

[LukeSkywatcher]

I watched it all. Cut short by about 2.5hrs because of water in Kopra's helmet. It was very refreshing to hear a British accent up there. How polite is Peake!!!!!!!. He ended nearly every sentence with "thank you", instead of "roger" or "copy".