Cal Poly graduate and NASA astronaut Victor Glover is venturing outside the International Space Station (ISS) to help assemble parts of the space station.
Around 6 a.m EST on February 28th, NASA posted video of Glover and another NASA astronaut, Kate Rubins, as they began their spacewalk to assemble and install modification kits needed for future solar arrays.
A look at both @NASA_Astronauts working outside the @Space_Station today: Kate Rubins & @AstroVicGlover. They're installing bracket support structures at the base of the station's solar arrays, to enable future upgrades to the arrays. pic.twitter.com/Ed5OrxX8lt
— NASA (@NASA) February 28, 2021
According to NASA, the spacewalkers switched their spacesuits to battery power at 6:12 a.m. EST to begin the spacewalk.
The spacewalk is expected to last about six and a half hours.
Glover and Rubins will travel out the station’s backbone truss structure to the far left (port) side set of solar arrays.
These existing panel of solar arrays were deployed in December 2000 and have been powering the station for more than 20 years.
NASA officials say the team will then work together to construct and install bracket supports at the base of the current solar arrays.
This will enable new solar arrays to be installed to increase the space station’s power supply.
Glover can be spotted wearing the spacesuit without stripes and helmet camera #20. He is extravehicular crew member 2 (EV 2).
Rubins is wearing a spacesuit with red stripes around the pants and using helmet camera #22. She is is extravehicular crew member 1 (EV 1).
.@NASA_Astronauts are working together to attach bracket and support struts at the base of the station's solar arrays to enable new solar arrays to be installed in the future. #AskNASA | https://t.co/cBNqC5JGaz pic.twitter.com/wL7mVEs68S
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) February 28, 2021
NASA officials say the ISS is flying 261 miles over Venezuela and is about to pass over Brazil.
This is the 235th spacewalk in support of space station assembly, according to NASA.
Victor Glover is the pilot for the NASA SpaceX Crew 1 mission to the International Space Station.
For 44-year-old Glover, he will become the first Black astronaut to fly for SpaceX and the first to move into the Space Station for a long stay.
CLICK HERE to watch the livestream of the spacewalk on NASA TV.
