NASA poised for record-breaking number of spacewalks

The first in a planned series of 10 spacewalks will kick off on October 6.
By | Published: October 2, 2019 | Last updated on May 18, 2023
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Astronaut Andrew Morgan during a spacewalk in 2019.

NASA

NASA announced a series of 10 spacewalks happening over the next three months in part of a marathon effort to complete repairs and upgrades to the International Space Station. The events could ultimately set a new record for the most spacewalks in such a short time period, at least in the era since 2011, when construction was completed on ISS.

The first spacewalk is scheduled for Sunday, October 6, at 7:50 a.m. EDT. The initial set of spacewalks will focus on replacing batteries with newer lithium-ion versions on the station’s far port truss, updating the power system.

During the second series of spacewalks, astronauts will focus on repairs to the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, a particle detector used by astrophysicists. The information it collects allows scientists to learn more about dark matter.

More information about the spacewalks will be announced during a press briefing on Friday, October 4, at 2 p.m. EDT. The second set of spacewalks is expected to begin in November.

NASA TV will stream the first spacewalk starting at 6:30 a.m. EDT on Sunday. Eventually, all 10 spacewalks will be aired.