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Timelapse video made during ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet\u2019s second mission to the International Space Station, \u201cAlpha\u201d.<\/p>\n
On 16 June 2021 Thomas and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough went on a spacewalk to install a new solar array for the International Space Station. These arrays, called IROSA for ISS Roll-Out Solar Array, had to be taken from their storage area outside the Space Station and passed from spacewalker to spacewalker to the worksite. There the rolled arrays were to be secured, unfolded, connected and then unfurled.<\/p>\n
During the spacewalk a small technical problem in Shane\u2019s spacesuit required him to return to the airlock and restart his Display and Control Module. This module provides astronauts with continuous information on pressure, temperature and other vital data during a spacewalk. Though the restart was successful and Shane was in no danger, it delayed the duo\u2019s work, preventing them from completing installation of the first new solar array as planned. A second spacewalk was done on 20 June to finish installing the first solar array.<\/p>\n
This video shows scenes from the first spacewalk with Thomas being moved on the robotic arm, at the controls was NASA astronaut Megan McArthur. The images for this timelapse were taken by JAXA astronaut and Space Station commander Aki Hoshide.<\/p>\n
Thomas posted this video on his social media with the caption: \u201cWe have to do EVAs, but someone has to keep running the Space Station while we are preparing, spacewalking, reconfiguring, preparing again\u2026 Aki has been rock solid taking care of the spaceship pretty much by himself, performing all the maintenance and the science experiments, AND ON TOP OF THAT he found the time to take timelapses of our little walks outside. The man is a machine!\u201d<\/p>\n
Over 200 experiments are planned during Thomas\u2019 time in space, with 40 European ones and 12 new experiments led by the French space agency CNES.<\/p>\n
Latest updates on the Alpha mission can be found via @esaspaceflight<\/a> on Twitter, with more details on ESA\u2019s exploration blog via thomaspesquet.esa.int<\/a>.<\/p>\n Background information on the Alpha mission is available at www.esa.int\/MissionAlpha<\/a> with a brochure at www.esa.int\/AlphaBrochure<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Timelapse directed by Aki Hoshide, edited by Melanie Cowan.<\/p>\n