During the event, one NASA official insinuated that a woman's physique makes it difficult to perform spacewalks, which is why more men have traditionally done spacewalks.
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During their stay, Kimbrough performed three spacewalks to swap out batteries and repair the outside of the ISS — bringing his total number of career spacewalks to six.
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It will be the fourth of 10 spacewalks scheduled for the next three months, which might set a record pace of complex spacewalks since the space station was completed in 2011, NASA said.
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Koch and Meir conducted two more spacewalks together in January.
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Third spacewalk in a busy season of spacewalks this week.
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So combine that then with spacewalking and training for spacewalks.
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But both women will now share their spacewalks with men.
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Williams commanded the space station and has also performed seven spacewalks.
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Two of those spacewalks already happened this month with no problems.
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None are more disappointing than the couple's perfunctory, suspense-free spacewalks.
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There are a set number of spacewalks that are out there, so there's a good possibility when Josh and I are up there with our international partners we might get to do a couple of spacewalks.
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Koch also spent quite a bit of time outside the station, completing six spacewalks, including the record-setting first ever spacewalk involving all women with fellow astronaut Jessica Meir – and two more all-women spacewalks after that.
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For some smaller women astronauts, this meant spacewalks weren't even an option.
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She is currently on the space station and has conducted two spacewalks.
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The tweet also showed an image of pairings for the upcoming spacewalks.
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Twelve US women had conducted 40 spacewalks over the past 35 years.
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She also holds the record for most spacewalks by a female astronaut.
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If the livestreams are showing spacewalks, that's a big hint they're fake.
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NASA TV will live-stream the spacewalks beginning at 5:30 a.m.
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The entire operation should take about 6.5 hours, the standard duration for spacewalks.
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Let's be honest, spacewalks, as a whole, can be pretty boring to watch.
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Now, with the new assignments, NASA can push ahead with its scheduled spacewalks.
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Today, male and female astronauts use these Maximum Absorbency Garments when doing spacewalks.
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Photography, along with spacewalks and scientific experiments, is part of astronauts' job description.
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Timing is also important for these spacewalks, as the astronauts have very busy schedules.
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Since 1998, 214 spacewalks have occurred at the International Space Station, according to NASA.
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That includes the components needed for the second of the spacewalks, happening in June.
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We are very careful that the space suit is all set up [before spacewalks].
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We haven't lost people during spacewalks but have during the launch and coming back.
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Astronauts are now required to conduct routine water checks inside their helmets during spacewalks.
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NASA plans to resume spacewalks after the next Dragon capsule arrives early this summer.
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ET and continues for 6.5 hours, is the first of two spacewalks coming up.
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Colonel Hopkins had previously spent 166 days on the I.S.S., and conducted two spacewalks.
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In March, Dr. Whitson broke another record, for most spacewalks by a female astronaut.
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So far, the Pennsylvania native has spent 382 days in space and performed nine spacewalks.
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Rubins was the first person to sequence DNA in space and has conducted two spacewalks.
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Astronauts agree that spacewalks can be one of the most physically challenging things they do.
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Ms. Koch and Dr. Meir also participated in the second and third all-female spacewalks.
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Williams has spent nearly a year in space, cumulatively, with seven spacewalks over that time.
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We have a jet pack that we wear when we do spacewalks on the space station.
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Over his six months at the International Space Station, he went on spacewalks and conducted experiments.
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These were the second and third spacewalks for Meir and the fifth and sixth for Koch.
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There's also an airlock hatch for tiny Lego astronauts to leave the station and perform spacewalks.
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Whitson has conducted more spacewalks than any woman (eight), with a total extravehicular time of 53 hours.
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Microgravity has negative health impacts Although zero gravity looks fun, spacewalks are no walk in the park.
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That might be because the new Boeing suits, designed by David Clark Company, aren't meant for spacewalks.
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Despite last week's milestone, only 15 women have ever performed spacewalks, compared to more than 200 men.
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That could potentially cut down the number of dangerous and time-consuming spacewalks astronauts have to do.
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However, spacewalks are relatively rare events, primarily occurring to make mechanical repairs to the International Space Station.
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He spent 166 days on the station in 2013, participating in two spacewalks and docking four spacecraft.
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Since December 1998, there have been only 214 spacewalks at the International Space Station, according to NASA.
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Williams has also been an instrumental member of two big spacewalks during his time on the station.
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They are not spacesuits like the ones that NASA astronauts put on for rocket launches and spacewalks.
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Astronaut Tracy Caldwell Dyson, who has completed three spacewalks, noted this during NASA's commentary of the spacewalk.
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Astronauts also conduct spacewalks to fix satellites or spacecraft instead of having them brought back to Earth.
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Chiao has performed six spacewalks, in both US and Russian spacesuits, and has logged 229 days in space.
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And for those hours-long spacewalks, NASA equips astronauts with special adult diapers to mop up any leaks.
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The first of the 10 spacewalks occurred on Sunday, and the next is scheduled for Friday, October 11th.
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Spacewalks look fun in theory, but the actual footage emphasizes just how alien the orbital environment really is.
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But he made spacewalks and romps over the lunar surface look routine, and in a way they were.
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This robotics work cut the number of spacewalks needed for the project from six to two, NASA said.
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The lack of small-sized suits has had repercussions ever since, precluding some women from participating in spacewalks altogether.
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Their trip also will be the first of two spacewalks this month to install the batteries on the ISS.
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This marks Whitson's 10th career spacewalk, extending her record as the woman with the most spacewalks under her belt.
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And astronauts in lower Earth orbit take many precautions during their spacewalks to avoid drifting too far from home.
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Dr. Chiao has performed six spacewalks, in both US and Russian spacesuits, and has logged 229 days in space.
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She is back on Earth after completing three all-female spacewalks and setting a record for time in space.
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He has performed six spacewalks, in both US and Russian spacesuits, and has logged nearly 230 days in space.
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Her second stint on ISS was a long-duration mission, where Dyson racked up 176 days and conducted three spacewalks.
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She holds the record for the most spacewalks by a female US astronaut, and today's outing will be her ninth.
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She completed six spacewalks while on the International Space Station, including the first all-female spacewalk with astronaut Jessica Meir.
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Perhaps the fundamental flaw that has hindered women's abilities to perform spacewalks is a lack of suits that fit them.
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That way, astronauts can continue on with spacewalks rather than having to send the helmet back to Earth for repairs.
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The odds have therefore favored male dominated or male-female spacewalks, based on the composition of most ISS flight crews.
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Right now, NASA astronauts on board the ISS already have numerous redundancies in place during spacewalks to keep them safe.
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There have been only 213 at the International Space Station since December 1998, so history has favored male dominated spacewalks.
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The milestone comes in the midst of an "EVA blitz," with a record 10 spacewalks scheduled in just three months.
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He also was awarded a patent "for the design of a tool tethering system that was used during shuttle spacewalks."
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Behnken flew on two space shuttle missions, logging over 708 hours in space with a total 37 hours of spacewalks.
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It allows for observation of activities like spacewalks and shuttle approaches, but also provides the perfect place to celebrate Hanukkah.
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Reilly spent 13 years at NASA, flying on three space shuttle missions and making five spacewalks, the White House said.
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According to Business Insider&aposs Morgan McFall-Johnsen, spacewalks, formally called extravehicular activities or EVAs, are routine yet risky operations.
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The spacesuits that NASA uses for spacewalks are more a collection of pieces bolted together than they are a single ensemble.
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They're pressure suits, so they're not meant for spacewalks, but are worn by astronauts during transport in case the capsule depressurizes.
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MIAMI – A couple of spacewalking veterans floated outside the International Space Station Tuesday morning for the first of two planned spacewalks.
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Whitson surpassed NASA astronaut Sunita Williams to become the female astronaut with the most spacewalks under her belt, according to NASA.
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McClain and Koch's spacewalks will mark 35 years since Svetlana Savitskaya became the first woman to walk in space in 1984.
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Since the 2013 incident, NASA had performed a detailed assessment of their spacesuit design to prevent similar malfunctions on future spacewalks.
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The 57-year-old biochemist has also performed eight spacewalks, the most of any woman, with a ninth venture possibly coming.
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McArthur said that as more women continue to pursue careers in science and technology, all-female spacewalks will likely become commonplace.
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Behnken first joined the astronaut corps in 2000 and flew aboard space shuttle Endeavour twice, performing six spacewalks that totaled 37 hours.
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She's flown twice to space, first in 2006 when she completed four spacewalks and spent over six months on the space station.
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Koch and Meir's potentially history-making spacewalk is one of 10 spacewalks that NASA has planned for the rest of the year.
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"The training is very rigorous so anyone who's selected in the astronaut corps has what it takes to perform spacewalks," says Newman.
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These robotic operations were meant to help cut down considerably on the number of spacewalks needed to perform the full battery operation.
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She has spent a grand total of 322 days in space including a stint commanding the space station and performing seven spacewalks.
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Spacewalks are organized to conduct work outside a spacecraft, do experiments, test new equipment or repair satellites or spacecraft already in space.
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For one thing, the problem with spacesuits on the ISS that can be configured for spacewalks is a long-term, ongoing issue.
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All spacewalks to date have either involved teams consisting exclusively of men or teams involving both men and women, reports the Guardian.
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He was also awarded a patent for his role in designing what NASA said was "a tool tethering system" used during spacewalks.
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On this mission, he has been a part of seven spacewalks and expects to conduct about 300 science experiments with his crew.
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During her time at the International Space Station, she conducted six spacewalks and spent more than 42 hours outside of the station.
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Judgment calls regarding spacewalks, station-threatening debris and solutions to mechanical malfunctions leave little margin for error — or interruption by errant tourists.
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Since the advent of human spaceflight, only 13 women have ever performed spacewalks, and all of them have done their work with men.
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" The space agency, along with its ISS partners, "will review upcoming operational schedules, including the plan for two spacewalks targeted later in October.
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It was the ninth time Whitson had participated, which simply extended her record as the American woman with the most spacewalks in history.
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ET. The announcement was made Friday during a briefing by the agency previewing 10 upcoming spacewalks by astronauts on the International Space Station.
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Image: NASAAstronauts on the International Space Station have completed 214 spacewalks in the past 113 years, but none have been all-women endeavors.
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In previous spacewalks, the more junior crew member would venture out first, leaving the commander at the controls in case of an emergency.
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Kelly also made three spacewalks outside the $100 billion station, which flies about 250 miles (13 km) above Earth, and Kornienko made one.
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She said she loves her work — she conducted five spacewalks and tended to science experiments — but she also misses her friends and family.
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It's meant to allow for observation of activities like spacewalks and shuttle approaches, but also provides pretty incredible views of the Earth below.
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She's also spent more time on spacewalks than any other woman, and she's set to go on yet another spacewalk in the coming months.
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Although floating in space looks easy, astronauts say that spacewalks are one of the most physically challenging things they can do, according to NASA.
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She also completed four spacewalks, adding to her six previous outings, to set a record for the most time spent spacewalking by a woman.
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Astronauts have done over 200 spacewalks outside of the International Space Station, and the latest one offers some pretty stunning views of our planet.
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Photo: Kathy Willens/AP2010: NASA TV's External TV Camera Group (ETVCG) on the international Space Station for live broadcasting spacewalks and view of Earth.
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However, it's unclear if the spacewalks will be broadcast on NASA's dedicated channel, NASA TV, as the public affairs personnel may be considered nonessential.
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The cases depict shuttles, spacewalks, and what McNitt describes as "dreams beyond the stars," a series of epic images taken by the Hubble Telescope.
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This guy knows what he's talking about ... Anderson was an Astronaut for 15 years, spent 167 days in space and went on 6 spacewalks.
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But news of the milestone attracted far greater interest than spacewalks normally do, and on Friday, American officials celebrated it as a historic achievement.
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Essay The astronaut completed three all-female spacewalks and set a record for time in space, but you should remember her for much more.
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Ground controllers were able to use robotics to help set up some activities ahead of the spacewalks, making them easier for astronauts to perform.
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ET. During her mission, Koch completed six spacewalks -- including another two with Meir -- and spent 42 hours and 15 minutes outside of the station.
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After next week, NASA will be able to boast that it has facilitated three all-female spacewalks, soon making the feat not so newsworthy.
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Astronauts also conduct spacewalks to fix satellites or spacecraft that are already in space, instead of having them brought back to Earth to fix.
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Before this month's spacewalks, ground control teams used the station's robotic arm to move the new batteries into position and remove the old ones.
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Spacewalks are held for a number of reasons, according to NASA, including doing work outside a spacecraft, conducting science experiments and testing new equipment.
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ISS astronauts are set to do three spacewalks total in March and April to swap out aging nickel-hydrogen batteries with new lithium-ion ones.
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Since then, the country has steadily worked their way up to launching three-person crews on their own rockets while mastering spacewalks and orbital docking.
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During the mission, Weitz's crew performed various experiments, recorded lightning in the Earth's atmosphere, deployed a satellite, and tested equipment in preparation for future spacewalks.
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Rubins logged a busy few months aboard the International Space Station, performing two separate spacewalks and becoming the first person to sequence DNA in microgravity.
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NASA earlier said Worden made three spacewalks but later clarified he made one, during which time he exited and re-entered the spacecraft three times.
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As far as her records achieved in space -- longest spaceflight, and the first three all-female spacewalks -- Koch isn't a stats person who keeps score.
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The new kit comes in at an impressive 864 pieces, and includes astronaut mini-figs for simulated spacewalks, plus a Space Shuttle and a capsule.
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Spacewalks are held for a number of different reasons, according to NASA, including doing work outside a spacecraft, conducting science experiments and testing new equipment.
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The pressurized outfits are relatively slim and sport a "Boeing Blue" color, making them quite distinct from the bulky, white spacesuits NASA astronauts use during spacewalks.
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Its main purpose is to replace people in dangerous situations, such as spacewalks, with the journey being used to test the rocket's systems under spaceflight conditions.
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In four previous spacewalks, astronauts positioned all the necessary cables that Rubins and Williams will attach to the docking adapter to give it power and connectivity.
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NASA's spacewalks are typically planned to last 6.5 hours, so there's still plenty of time to watch them hard at work in the vacuum of space.
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This is also the 9th time Whitson has taken part in a spacewalk, extending her record as the American woman with the most spacewalks in history.
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Right now, there are two fully prepared spacesuits that the crews have been using for their spacewalks — one with a medium torso and one with a large.
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As is the case with all spacewalks, the assignments remain fluid, so it's possible that things could change again, preventing Koch and Meir from going out together.
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This is far from Whitson's first (space) rodeo, as she currently holds the record for most spacewalks performed by an American woman, but it's Fischer's first time.
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He's also conducted seven spacewalks for a total of 48 hours and 28 minutes of spacewalking time and will be participating in his eighth spacewalk on Wednesday.
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Image: Peggy Whitson/NASA Johnson via FlickrLast month, astronaut Peggy Whitson performed her eighth spacewalk outside the ISS, setting the record for most spacewalks by a woman.
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To date, there have been 214 spacewalks outside the ISS, all of which have either featured all-male teams or tandems involving a man and a woman.
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We asked Rubins about the experiments she conducted at the ISS, her first spacewalks, and what it feels like to land on Earth after months in microgravity.
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According to the OIG report, from the spacesuits development in the 1970s through April 2017, astronauts have experienced 27 "significant incidents" over the course of 204 spacewalks.
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Yes, but: It's unlikely robots will fully take over all spacewalking operations, and there are other ways to reduce the number of spacewalks needed aboard orbiting outposts.
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For shuttle, it was a focused year … [learning about the] shuttle, the mission, the vehicle, the payload, the spacewalks that we were doing while we were there.
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During her current mission, she also set the world record for oldest woman in space at 57 years old, and hit 10 spacewalks, more than any other woman.
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The new prototypes aim to make it easier for the wearer to move around, improving on the puffy white suits that astronauts have worn on spacewalks for decades.
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And spacewalks are one of those areas where just how your body is built in shape, it makes a difference in how well you can work a suit.
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This season, I'll be learning about some of the biggest aspects of astronaut training — everything from preparing for spacewalks in virtual reality and maneuvering in actual space attire.
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The agency isn't sure yet when the next battery-swap spacewalks will take place, as the ISS still needs to get a new shipment of lithium-ion units.
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"When we go outside, [spacewalks] are one of the most dangerous things we do as a program," Kenneth Todd, the ISS Operations Manager, said at a press conference.
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In preparation for this month's spacewalks, six lithium-ion batteries and six adaptor plates were sent up to the station in December on a Japanese HTV cargo craft.
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But at the end of the day, these spacewalks usually amount to some pretty tedious tasks performed in the name of routine maintenance on the International Space Station.
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"When it comes to station operations, we have a plan," Kenny Todd, NASA's ISS mission operations integration manager, said during a press briefing about the spacewalks on Thursday.
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NASA is in the midst of conducting three scheduled spacewalks, the first of which was completed on Friday, March 22, by NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Anne McClain.
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Fellow NASA astronaut Nick Hague completed the first of the series of spacewalks last Friday with McClain, who found out that a particular suit size fit her best.
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Image: NASA/Beth Weissinger"It was not orchestrated to be this way; these spacewalks were originally scheduled to take place in the fall," a NASA spokesperson told CNN.
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During six months at the International Space Station, Mr. Pesquet went on spacewalks and conducted experiments — followed by hundreds of thousands of earthbound followers on Twitter and Instagram.
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Go deeper: The future of spacewalks is more robots and less humans NASA unveils new spacesuit for the Moon and more Watch the spacewalk live, via NASA TV
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Driving the news: Astronauts on the International Space Station are in the midst of a marathon 10 spacewalks focusing on station upkeep and repairs to a science instrument.
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Earlier this month, however, Christina Koch returned to Earth from the International Space Station having completed three all-female spacewalks and setting a record for time in space.
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The space agency was set to perform two spacewalks over the next two weeks, and the now-grounded astronaut Hague was supposed to be involved in one of them.
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I donned prototype space suits for the Moon and Mars, learned how to train for spacewalks, and I worked out just like astronauts do on the International Space Station.
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Spacewalks are probably the most dangerous things you can do in space today, but they're also some of the most aesthetically pleasing events you can watch from the ground.
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To enable women astronauts to pee during launch and on spacewalks, NASA created the Disposable Absorption Containment Trunk, which was kind of like bike shorts designed to absorb pee.
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Over six months at the International Space Station, Mr. Pesquet went on spacewalks and conducted experiments that were followed by hundreds of thousands of people on Instagram and Twitter.
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In total, the crew conducted nine spacewalks during the four-month expedition — more than any other mission in the same period of time in the history of the ISS.
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What's next: NASA's small Gateway station around the Moon will be designed to minimize the number of spacewalks needed at any given time, making use of advances in robotics.
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Finally, NASA also would like to hear from companies about how to better commercialize spacesuits and spacewalks – making them available to customers outside of the agency itself, as well.
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They will each be on separate flights of that vehicle, and the schedule is too fluid to know if they'll have the chance to do any spacewalks with other women.
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As is standard for all of NASA's spacewalks, the entire excursion should last about 6.5 hours, so there will be plenty of time to watch the event throughout the day.
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In fact, NASA has two spacewalks planned for astronauts on the ISS in the next couple of weeks, and those activities aren't expected to change in light of a shutdown.
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This one isn't for doing spacewalks, but rather for getting the astronaut from the staging area of the launch to the relative safety of the space station, and vice versa.
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How will your muscles, joints, and bones degrade during intense underwater physical training sessions in a NASA pool—practice for future spacewalks—and later, during an extended period in microgravity?
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He logged nearly 21969 hours outside Skylab in three spacewalks, during which physiological and biomedical metrics were monitored to determine the body's response to long periods spent in reduced gravity.
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International Space Station astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir will be participating in the historic event on October 21, the agency announced in a tweet that listed their upcoming spacewalks.
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For decades, space agencies have relied on astronauts to take precarious and time-consuming spacewalks, but today, space station operators are increasingly turning to robots to perform tasks in orbit.
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But even with that robotic help, these spacewalks have taken dozens of hours of planning and training and represent one of the most dangerous activities astronauts can perform in space.
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The experience is a detailed recreation of the International Space Station where participants can do things like dock cargo capsules, conduct spacewalks, and "perform mission-critical tasks" just like real astronauts.
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On an earlier spacewalk, McClain discovered that the medium spacesuit top fit her best (she had been wearing a large), and decided that she would need the medium for future spacewalks.
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Yes, but: Spacewalks are notorious for their complexity, so it's still possible that Koch and Meir's walk could change or be cancelled if something unexpected happens between now and October 21.
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During their expedition, Meir and other crew members will install new lithium-ion batteries for two of the station's solar array power channels through a series of spacewalks, according to NASA.
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This in-space assembly has to be done either robotically or by people on spacewalks, which is much more costly and more difficult than manufacturing and assembling space vehicles on the ground.
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Koch will conduct three spacewalks in October, one alongside NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan on October 6, another with Morgan on October 11 and the walk with Meir on October 17 or 18.
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The first of those three spacewalks gets underway this morning before 8AM ET, when NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency are scheduled to exit the ISS.
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NASA claims the decision to launch this second medium-sized suit had to do with the number of spacewalks coming up and which crew members will be available in the months ahead.
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Once all of the batteries have been swapped out, astronauts will perform additional spacewalks to repair the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a scientific instrument designed to look for dark matter and anti-matter.
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Astronauts on the space station, whose 20th anniversary in low-Earth orbit comes later this year, have tallied 227 maintenance spacewalks, nearly two dozen of which included women astronauts, according to NASA.
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Now, on her third mission aboard the ISS, Whitson is racking up even more impressive feats—today, she performed her eighth spacewalk, setting the record for most spacewalks performed by a woman.
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In just over a half-century, humans have left footprints on the Moon, performed dozens of spacewalks and thousands of experiments, and constructed two continuously inhabited space stations in low Earth orbit.
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The first five scheduled spacewalks will upgrade the space station's power systems and the last five, planned for November and December, will repair the alpha magnetic spectrometer, which analyzes cosmic ray events.
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He devised the protocols for exploration beyond the Earth's atmosphere, orchestrated early orbital missions and spacewalks, and developed projects that put astronauts on the moon and into the first reusable space shuttles.
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NASA already has a bunch of data on how astronauts conduct spacewalks outside the International Space Station, but those trips are a lot different than what astronauts will have to do on Mars.
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NASA astronaut Christina Koch is on her way back to Earth after setting the record for the longest continuous spaceflight by a woman and after completing the first all-female spacewalks in history.
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Given that it doesn't look as bulky as NASA's spacewalk suits, this is probably more of a flight suit meant to be worn by passengers traveling inside the ship rather than for spacewalks.
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At present, the space station is examined using cameras already attached to Canadarm2—the station's robotic arm—and Dextre, from photos taken by crew inside the ISS, as well as photos taken during spacewalks.
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Overall, there will be 10 spacewalks over the next three months, "a cadence that has not been experienced since assembly of the space station was completed in 2011," according to a tweet by NASA.
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There, they performed a pair of spacewalks: during the first, they deployed several scientific experiments and equipment, while on the second, they attempted to find the rim of the Cone Crater to collect samples.
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A space blanket floated away from American astronaut Peggy Whitson on Thursday as she made a historic spacewalk outside the International Space Station, setting a new record for the most spacewalks by a woman.
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Although Ms. Koch performed six spacewalks during her mission, set a duration record for time in space and contributed enormously to space science, that October spacewalk will be what gets her into history books.
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But when she actually got out in space wearing a spacesuit -- she was wearing a medium last Friday -- then she ... really felt like that she should still be in a medium for future spacewalks.
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Such size limitations restrict who can go on spacewalks on the ISS, a problem that NASA encountered in March when it had to postpone its first all female-spacewalk due to spacesuit sizes and availability.
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He flew to the space station on the space shuttle Atlantis in 2002 and 2010 and on Discovery in 2006 to perform research and carry out repair work, and made a total of six spacewalks.
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Set for release on April 29, the film, narrated by Jennifer Lawrence, explores life inside the ISS, and features magnificent footage of Earth from the station's cupola and windows, and even exterior shots filmed during spacewalks.
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If you're interesting in watching a legitimate live stream from outer space though, NASA usually broadcasts its spacewalks when they occur, and there's a constant live stream running from cameras on the outside of the ISS.
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Miami (AFP) - A space blanket floated away from American astronaut Peggy Whitson on Thursday as she made a historic spacewalk outside the International Space Station, setting a new record for the most spacewalks by a woman.
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Before astronauts head to the International Space Station, they spend years getting ready: They float in pools to practice for spacewalks, learn how to run different types of science experiments, and even practice how to poop.
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In addition to her record-setting time in space, she earned a slew of other records, becoming the oldest woman in space at 57; the woman with the most spacewalks, ever, at 10; and nabbed the no.
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"There are some physical reasons that make it harder sometimes for women to do spacewalks," Ken Bowersox, the acting associate administrator for human exploration at NASA and a former astronaut, said during a press conference on Friday.
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The faulty unit was turned off while Koch and NASA astronaut Andrew Morgan installed new lithium-ion batteries during an EVA on October 11, as part of a series of spacewalks focused on updating the station's batteries.
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"There are different levels of importance," Terry Virts — a NASA astronaut who has spent seven months living in space, commanded the International Space Station and completed three spacewalks — tells CNBC Make It via Skype video conversation in Dec.
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But Newman also disagrees with this assessment, noting there are a wide variety of tasks that need to be accomplished when performing spacewalks, some that are better for smaller people and some that are better for taller ones.
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Having flown on both a Space Shuttle mission and a Russian Soyuz rocket, Williams has spent a cumulative 322 days in low Earth orbit and has seven spacewalks under her belt — once the record for any female astronaut.
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Why it matters: Using robots instead of astronauts for routine spacewalks would make spaceflight safer and more efficient, experts say, freeing up humans to only take walks in space during an emergency or for delicate experiments in microgravity.
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But perhaps Koch's most memorable achievements were the three spacewalks she performed with fellow crew member (and best friend) Jessica Meir, marking the first time two women performed work outside of a spacecraft without any men suited up.
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Before rocketing into space from Kazakhstan on Expedition 57 for his six-month tour, the 42-year-old father has undergone extensive training in everything from spacewalks to robotics to Russian and the psychology of sharing small spaces.
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Bean conducted a variety of medical and biological experiments, installed equipment, and took part in one of the mission's three spacewalks, testing a prototype propulsion backpack that allowed astronauts to maneuver in space without being tethered to a spacecraft.
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They will practice for spacewalks in a 60-foot-deep swimming pool at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, learn to fly NASA's T-38 jet planes and study the ins and outs of the International Space Station.
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In July, Rubins and two spacegoers from Russia and Japan launched to the International Space Station for a four-month adventure full of spacewalks, science, and a bit of civic duty—Rubins filed her electronic ballot from low Earth orbit.
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"An enormous fondu pot bubbling over with piping-hot awesome sauce" In light of that, it's pretty amazing that there haven't been any astronaut or cosmonaut deaths or serious injuries during spacewalks since they began at the station in 1998.
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Axiom Space — a company that plans to build a commercial space station — is putting many of its critical systems inside its station and will make use of robotics outside, reducing the need for frequent spacewalks, Axiom CEO Michael Suffredini told Axios.
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But it's still possible that Koch and Meir could venture out into space together after that — and with multiple smaller-sized spacesuits on the station right now, we could see even more all-female spacewalks in the months and years ahead.
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Visually, you can tell that it's much-reduced in terms of sheer mass, and that reduction was made possible by focusing on what really matters for the astronauts, and by taking out stuff they won't need for EVA activities – otherwise known as spacewalks.
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Since becoming an astronaut, Morgan has assisted in numerous projects as his team's flight engineer — a job that necessitated seven spacewalks outside of the station, the first of which came in August 2019 and lasted for over six and a half hours.
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There's also a new set of six lithium-ion batteries on board that will replace nickel-hydrogen power cells on the station, which will involve a number of spacewalks and use of the station's robotic manipulation devices to install later this year.
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All had marquee narrators — Tom Cruise for the first, Leonardo DiCaprio for the second, Jennifer Lawrence for the last — but the real star of each was the imagery, whether of spacewalks, astronauts inside a spacecraft or the stunning views out a window.
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Her lifetime totals are still impressive, though: She's already spent 377 days in space and performed multiple spacewalks, while her upcoming six-month mission should push her beyond 534 days in space, a U.S. record set in September by 58-year-old astronaut Jeffrey Williams.
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For the past half-century, U.S. spacewalks have been all male, but NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir plan to end that streak today as all four male astronauts remain aboard the International Space Station to watch a little history out the windows.
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Station commander Peggy Whitson, a veteran with eight previous spacewalks, and rookie flight engineer Jack Fischer, who will be making his first outing, shared a second good cable known as an umbilical as they prepared to leave the station's airlock, said mission commentator Rob Navias.
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Koch, who now has four spacewalks under her belt, had already been scheduled to take part in the first all-female spacewalk in March, when she and astronaut Anne McClain were scheduled to venture outside the ISS to replace older, nickel-hydrogen batteries, with lithium-ion versions.
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However, Whitson is impressive in many other ways beyond her American record, including as the first female commander of the ISS, the most experienced space walker with 60 hours of spacewalks under her belt and she's the oldest woman to go to space at the age of 57.
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While living and working aboard the world's only orbiting laboratory, Whitson and Fischer contributed to hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science and Earth science, welcomed several cargo spacecraft delivering tons of supplies and research experiments, and conducted a combined six spacewalks to perform maintenance and upgrades to the station.
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"I was in space for 200 days on this mission, and we did science and spacewalks and all kinds of things, but I think this movie is the most important thing I did because it brings space to people," astronaut Terry Virts told me at an A Beautiful Planet press event.
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The Progress MS-04 was carrying a varied and valuable payload to the International Space Station that included an upgraded spacesuit to be used in spacewalks, a mini-greenhouse, and parts for the experimental Russian toilet to recycle urine into water (something Americans onboard have been doing for several years).
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Ride, Judy Resnick, who died on the Challenger; Eileen Collins, who was the first woman to command a space shuttle mission; and Peggy Whitson, who commanded the ISS, participated in 10 spacewalks and has accumulated over 85033 days in space, have achieved measures of fame to rival any of their male counterparts.
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"We're sorry we couldn't be there to celebrate this achievement with you in person today, but we've been busy out here on the International Space Station, getting it ready for you guys who arrive, and continue doing lots of science, spacewalks, and upgrades," Christina Koch said during a prerecorded video from the International Space Station.
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