On Friday , ESA astronaut Tim Peake and NASA astronaut Tim Kopra will exit the International Space Station ( ISS ) to impart out repairs to a incorrect world power unit . For Peake , it will be his first spacewalk – and the first Briton to venture out into space since three-fold U.S.-U.K. citizen Nick Patrick in 2010 .
The spacewalk will last around six hours , and the two Tims will make together to supervene upon the defective components . “ Our primary task will be to replace a failed Solar Shunt Unit , which transfers electrical powerfulness generated by the solar panels , ” Tim Peake said in astatement .
“ I am thrilled at this opportunity for a spacewalk . Right now we are focusing on preparing the tools , equipment and procedures . ”
Final suit fit curb prior to Friday ’s EVA – feels just great!#Principia#spacewalk@StationCDRKellypic.twitter.com/JewRityiK4
— Tim Peake ( @astro_timpeake)January 11 , 2016
Aspacewalkis an arduous job . First , the cosmonaut will breathe pure atomic number 8 for two hours before get into the suit . By doing so , they expel nitrogen from their dead body , so when they wear the suits they do n’t experience any minus physiological effects . The pressure inside the place lawsuit is much lower than in the station and wearing them immediately would be alike to a scuba diver rising too quickly to the sea surface . The cosmonaut will wait in the air lock until the pressure is reduce , and it ’s then secure to launch the exterior hatch .
“ Maintaining the International Space Station from the exterior requires acute operations – not just from the gang , but also from our ground support teams who are striving to make this spacewalk as good and effective as possible , ” added Peake .
The two astronauts have to be assisted when getting in and out of the case . Scott Kelly , commander of the ISS , will serve them with this task , as well as coordinating the repairs from the inside .
The repair itself should be bare enough , as replacing the Solar Shunt Unit is a relatively straightforward operation . The boxful can be removed by loosen a single dash . Afterwards , the astrsonauts will lay cables for new docking ports and reinstall a valve that was remove last year .
The ISS has eight Solar Shunt Units , and the one which need neutering fail last November . “ If the spacewalk is successful , this will restore the International Space Station to 100 percent of its operating capability , ” said Tim .
