No rest for Thomas Pesquet who is due to go into space on Sunday
No weekend aboard the International Space Station. On Sunday, Thomas Pesquet and his Japanese colleague Akihiko Hoshide will go out into space to prepare for the installation of a new solar panel which will be delivered in 2022.
Do you like our News? Subscribe to the Daily newsletter to receive our latest News once a day.Thomas Pesquet who has just learned that he will be the commander of the International Space Station from October 4 until the date of his departure from the orbital complex, scheduled for mid-November, will carry out a new spacewalk . The fourth of the mission.
This approximately six-hour outing is scheduled for Sunday afternoon and should begin at 2:30 p.m. Paris time (to be followed live on ESA-TV). He will be accompanied by Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, the current commander of the Station. The two astronauts will prepare the installation of the third of six new generation iRosa solar panels, the first two of which were installed during the previous three spacewalks (June 2021). This third panel will be delivered in 2022 by SpaceX.
Spacewalks punctuated the weekend of the astronauts
This outing comes after the spacewalk of cosmonauts Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov which took place on Thursday, September 9 and was mainly devoted to the installation of the Nauka module, the eventful arrival of which had caused some tension among the partners of the 'ISS.
See alsoThomas Pesquet's spacewalk: an activity that is not without riskAfter two exits carried out during the Proxima mission in 2017 and the three carried out between June 16 and 25 as part of the Alpha mission, Thomas Pesquet will therefore have six space exits. A record for a French astronaut.
European astronaut Thomas Pesquet during his third spacewalk on June 25, 2021. © NASA, ESA
To know moreThomas Pesquet: a third and last outing today to complete the job
Article by Rémy Decourt published on June 28, 2021
Third outing for Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough to install the second iRosa solar panel intended to increase the energy production capacities of the International Space Station. For the European astronaut, this outing will allow him to equal a record, after having beaten one and, within two minutes, almost won a third!
The installation of the first new generation iRosa solar panel having proven to be more complex and longer than expected, astronauts Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough are therefore constrained, but can we talk about constraint when it comes to going out in the world? space, put their suits back on and exit a third time outside the orbital complex to complete the job. This job will consist of the installation of a second iRosa solar panel.
If the two astronauts have no problem, this 6 hour 30 minute outing should be enough to install and plug in the solar panel.
Third spacewalk to see live from 12:30 p.m. Paris time. © Nasa
A little history of Franco-French records
Since his second spacewalk, Thomas Pesquet has been the French record holder for the duration of a spacewalk with a total of 26 hours and 15 minutes accumulated on the counter. A record that had been held for 19 years by French astronaut Philippe Perrin and acquired during his only mission in 2002 aboard the International Space Station. He had then carried out three spacewalks for a cumulative duration of 19 hours and 31 minutes.
Installation and commissioning of the first iRosa panel which should increase the production of electricity available for the Station. It was installed on the same fulcrum that supports the current solar panel, but to prevent it from “touching” it, it is tilted 10 degrees. © Nasa
At the end of this third spacewalk, Thomas Pesquet should equal the record for the number of spacewalks carried out during a single mission (3) also held by Philippe Perrin. This veteran holds a third record that Thomas Pesquet almost robbed him of. It didn't take much, about two minutes. Perrin also holds the French record for the longest spacewalk, which is 7 hours and 17 minutes. During the first spacewalk, on June 16, Thomas spent 7 hours 15 minutes in space!
In video: the complete deployment of the new solar panel installed by Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough
Article by Rémy Decourt published on 06/21/2021
Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough's second outing went much better than the first, but not all of the objectives were met. If the deployment of the first iRosa solar panel has been possible, the second will be installed during a third outing, scheduled for June 25. A video shows the deployment of the panel.
On his twitter account, Thomas Pesquet had indicated that he wanted to set the record straight after the small disappointment of the first EVA (extra-vehicular activity) which, to say the least, did not did not go as planned. Technical problems with Shane Kimbrough's spacesuit had forced the American to return to the airlock of the ISS Quest module to reset it. As a result, the two astronauts were unable to catch up. “Solar panel: 1, Shane and Thomas: 0 Return match tomorrow! “, he had written several hours before going out into space for his second EVA, carried out on Sunday afternoon.
Solar panel: 1, Shane and Thomas: 1
This time, the two astronauts' second spacewalk went much better than the previous one, even if all the objectives were not achieved. The wiring and connections of the first iRosa solar panel proved to be much more complex to achieve than the mission managers and the two astronauts imagined. Hervé Stevenin, the European Space Agency instructor who directs the extravehicular spacewalk training for European astronauts at the EAC, warned us that the installation of these panels was going to be complex (read his interview, further down in the page). Despite this complexity, everyone was convinced that the two iRosa solar panels would have been installed in two EVAs!
More than three hours will have been necessary for Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough to carry out this task. However, the duration of spacewalks being limited to six hours and thirty minutes for security reasons, but which could be extended by less than an hour in very special cases, the two astronauts and NASA very quickly understood that the installation of the second solar panel was not possible with such short deadlines. That said, this delay has no impact on the production and distribution of electricity. The panels in service are sufficient to meet the energy needs of the orbital complex.
A third spacewalk will therefore be necessary. NASA plans it for June 25. Unsurprisingly, the two astronauts will stick to it.
Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough during their spacewalk on June 16, 2021. Thomas is on the right of the image. The two astronauts had the task of installing a first iRosa solar panel, which can be seen in the foreground. 19 meters long and 6 meters wide, it is presented rolled on itself in two cylinders folded one on the other. © Nasa
Watch Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough's second spacewalk live
Article by Rémy Decourt published on 06/20/2021
Spacewalks are not routine and risk-free activities for astronauts, as shown by that of Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough which did not go as planned. The two astronauts should go out again on Sunday to complete the job. A third spacewalk could be necessary if the two iROSA solar panels to be installed are not commissioned before the end of this second extravehicular spacewalk.
Spacewalks are not routine and risk-free activities for astronauts, as shown by the various "hiccups" that marked the June 16 EVA. Hervé Stevenin, the European Space Agency instructor who directs the extravehicular spacewalk training for European astronauts at the EAC, had warned us that this EVA was announced as complex.
The entire spacewalk can be followed live on ESA Web TV. On-air starts at 12:30 p.m. Paris time. Channel 2 will offer commentary in French, with several experts from Cnes and ESA. The exit from the airlock is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
Live, the second spacewalk of Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough. © ESA
This first spacewalk therefore did not go as planned due to various incidents that were not serious for the safety of the two astronauts. The main problem was a malfunction in the American astronaut's suit, which forced him to return to the airlock of the ISS Quest module to check that it was working properly and reset it. As a result, the two astronauts were unable to catch up, despite NASA having decided to increase the duration of the outing. Seven hours and 15 min, against the six and a half hours initially planned. Not all of the planned objectives were achieved, including the commissioning of the first iROSA panel. This panel has certainly been installed on the large beam, which supports all the solar panels of the orbital complex, but has not been deployed.
Shane Kimbrough during the spacewalk on June 16, 2021 which is busy around the first iROSA which we can see that it is rolled on itself in two cylinders folded on each other. And no, the American astronaut does not "walk" on the solar panels currently in service. © Nasa
A second outing to continue the work
This Sunday, June 20, Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough should once again go out into space. As the exit leader, Thomas is EV1 and will wear a jumpsuit with red stripes, Shane, without stripes, is EV2. NASA will announce Saturday evening or Sunday morning if it maintains this second outing. If it is maintained, NASA will have to decide whether Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough complete the commissioning of the panel installed during the first spacewalk or if they will focus only on the installation of the second iROSA panel.
Exit of Thomas Pesquet in space: a "complex" extravehicular intervention explains his trainer
Article by Rémy Decourt published on 06/16/2021
It is at 2:00 p.m., Paris time, that Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough will go out into space to begin the first of the two planned EVAs. Their task is to install a new solar panel, which turns out to be complex. Hervé Stevenin, an instructor at the European Space Agency, who directs the extravehicular spacewalk training for European astronauts, explains the complexity of the task and why European astronauts are highly regarded by NASA.
It is today that Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough will go out into space and carry out the first of two extravehicular outings (EVA) planned to install two of the six new solar panels of the International Space Station. This spacewalk can be followed live (see below). The broadcast will begin at 12:30 p.m.
Live, the spacewalk of Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough. © Nasa
The International Space Station has eight pairs of solar panels. The first was installed in December 2000 and continues to operate despite a 15-year lifespan. The others date from 2006, 2007 and 2009. These solar panels show signs of aging and degradation. Nothing abnormal since they were designed for a lifespan of at least 15 years. This degradation in performance prompted the ISS partners to imagine how to increase the electrical power of the ISS without changing the solar panels. Hence this idea of panels to unroll in front of the existing panels and to use the same support points on the large beam. These new next-generation panels are called iROSA, for ISS Roll-Out Solar Array. 19 meters long and 6 wide, each panel is wrapped around two rolls that the two astronauts will have to deploy!
See alsoThomas Pesquet's spacewalk: an activity that is not without riskAs Hervé Stevenin, the European Space Agency instructor who directs the extravehicular spacewalk training for European astronauts at the EAC, explains, “this spacewalk is a first and is proving to be complex”. The EVA's goal is to install two of the six iROSA (ISS Roll-Out Solar Array) panels. Although the exit is scheduled to last 6:30 a.m., NASA estimates that the installation of this new panel can be done in 5:30 a.m. If so, the two astronauts will use the remaining hour to advance the work. to be carried out during their next outing, scheduled for Sunday and which will consist of installing a second iROSA panel.
Hervé Stevenin, European Space Agency instructor who leads the training for extravehicular spacewalks for European astronauts at the European Astronaut Center in Cologne (EAC). © Nasa
Each panel "is rolled up on itself into two cylinders folded on top of each other and will automatically deploy once installed by the astronauts". Problem: the Canadarm2 robotic arm “cannot transport these panels to where they will be installed, at the end of the structure”! The distance to be covered is too great for the Canadian arm, even extended to the maximum. As a result, the two astronauts will have to do a "sort of 3-step relay transmission" to bring the solar panels to be installed at the end of the large beam that supports the orbital complex's solar panels.
See alsoBlue Abyss: the largest and deepest swimming pool in the worldConcretely, Thomas Pesquet will be "attached by the feet on a platform itself attached to the robotic arm" which will take the astronaut as far as possible, to Shane who "will wait for him on a platform to receive the solar panel" . The iROSA panel will be installed on the same fulcrum that supports the current solar panel, but to prevent it from “touching” it, it will be tilted 10 degrees. In addition, the wiring and connection phase of these new panels promises to be delicate. To prevent the solar panels from being in operation during the wiring operation, this is programmed in an orbital night phase. The panels "being no longer illuminated by the sun, they will be inactive during the wiring".
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet and the model of the International Space Station in the weightless training pool of NASA, located in Houston in the United States. © Nasa
European astronauts at the top of the ranking
The choice of Thomas Pesquet to carry out this outing owes nothing to chance. Due to the specificity of their training, when NASA evaluates astronauts, Europeans are often identified as "very good, even excellent, elements for carrying out spacewalks and are generally ranked at the top of the ranking".
“Europeans are often identified as very good or even excellent performers for spacewalking and are generally ranked at the top of the rankingsAs part of the new training program for European astronauts, set up in 2007, astronauts train in the NBF (Neutral Buoyancy Facility) training pool at the European Astronaut Center (EAC) and in which are immersed Full-scale models of International Space Station modules. This training, developed by ESA in partnership with NASA and "unique in the world, fills the gap between the skills acquired by an astronaut as an underwater diver and those necessary for training in a spacesuit at NASA", to specify Hervé Stevenin.
The NBF (Neutral Buoyancy Facility) training basin at the European Astronaut Center (EAC) in which full-scale models of International Space Station modules are immersed. © ESA, S.Corvaja
The objective of this program, implemented by ESA in Cologne, Germany, prior to the training of European astronauts in spacesuits in Houston, is "to train astronauts in the rules of engagement to be applied for the safety and the effectiveness of astronauts in spacewalks”.
When Europeans arrive in Houston to train in spacesuits, they must, like their NASA astronaut colleagues, adapt to the difficulties of the physical constraints created by the pressurization of the spacesuit, but they "already master the basic rules to apply on extravehicular outings. This is a key asset that boosts their performance and paves the way for them "to have a chance of being assigned to extravehicular outings during their future space missions, based on the evaluation of their performance in training", concludes Hervé Stevenin.
Space: Thomas Pesquet will operate two extravehicular outings this week
Article by Rémy Decourt published on June 14, 2021
Thomas Pesquet and Shane Kimbrough will go into space on Wednesday and Sunday to install two of the six new solar panels. Rather than replacing existing ones, these new signs will be positioned in front of those already in place. For Thomas Pesquet, these two new spacewalks will bring to four the total number of EVAs carried out since his first mission (Proxima), in space in 2017.
Busy week for Expedition 65 astronauts as they prepare to install two of the orbital complex's six new solar arrays. Two spacewalks, more commonly known as EVAs, are scheduled for this week. They will take place on Wednesday June 16 and Sunday June 20. These two outings will be carried out by NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and European Thomas Pesquet. Each outing will last approximately 6 hours and 30 minutes.
These will be the 239th and 240th spacewalks from the International Space Station. These two EVAs will be the seventh and eighth for Kimbrough, and the third and fourth for Pesquet. But Kimbrough and Pesquet will make their third and fourth spacewalks together after two spacewalks on Expedition 50 and Thomas' Proxima mission in January and March 2017.
See alsoThomas Pesquet's spacewalk: an activity that is not without riskTwo iROSA solar panels, rolled up and housed in the unpressurized section of SpaceX's Dragon freighter. A solar panel wraps around two rollers. © SpaceX
Solar panels rolled up on themselves
These two new solar panels arrived on board the ISS during SpaceX's 22nd resupply mission with a Dragon cargo ship. iROSA, for “ISS Roll-Out Solar Array”, is the name of these new solar panels; they are 19 meters long and 6 wide. Each panel is wrapped in two rolls that the two astronauts will therefore have to unfold!
The six new iROSA solar panels will be installed above six of the eight panels currently in service. During their two spacewalks, Pesquet and Kimbrough will install panel 2B on June 16, located at the top right, and on June 20, panel 4B, located at the bottom and far right.
When the six iROSA panels are commissioned, they will provide 120 kW of additional electrical power, increasing the station's total available power from 160 kilowatts to a maximum of 215 kilowatts. As the iROSA panels will be installed in front of the existing panels, they will shade, which is why the 120 KW of power they provide will not add to the 160 KW currently produced by the panels in service. Shade will limit energy production. This new generation of solar panels will be adapted for the Gateway, the space station which will be installed near the Moon.
Aging solar panels
The International Space Station has eight pairs of solar panels. The first was installed in December 2000 and continues to operate despite a 15-year lifespan. The others date from 2006, 2007 and 2009. These solar panels show signs of aging and degradation. Nothing abnormal since they were designed for a lifespan of at least 15 years. This degradation in performance prompted the ISS partners to imagine how to increase the electrical power of the ISS without changing the solar panels. Hence this idea of panels to unroll in front of the existing panels and to use the same support points on the large beam.
---
Futura in the Stars is the unmissable event for astronomy and space enthusiasts. Every 1st of the month, find us for a complete tour of the ephemerides of the month, with advice for best observing what is happening in the sky. A special episode published every 15th of the month will offer you to learn more about a particular object or event that will mark astronomical and space news.
---
Interested in what you have just read?Subscribe to the newsletter The Daily : our latest news of the day. All our newsletters!
Thank you for your subscription. Glad to count you among our readers!
External linksInternational Space StationMission Alpha de T. Pesquet (ESA)T. Pesquet (Cnes)European Astronaut Center (EAC)Related definitionsWhat is diffusion?What is gravity?What is NASA?What "physics" meansWhat is duration?