NASA To Conduct Two Spacewalks Outside ISS in December; When Is The Schedule, How To Watch?

Two NASA astronauts will do a spacewalk on Saturday, December 3, to install new solar arrays on the International Space Station (ISS).

At 7:25 a.m. EST on Saturday, Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio are set to leave the International Space Station for a spacewalk that might take up to seven hours. Watch it live on the NASA app, NASA TV, and the agency's website. Coverage starts at 6 a.m. Eastern Time.

Space Shuttle Endeavour's Mission To The International Space Station

(Photo : NASA via Getty Images)
IN SPACE - AUGUST 15: In this handout photo provided by NASA, Astronaut Rick Mastracchio, STS-118 mission specialist, participates in the mission's third planned session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station August 15, 2007 in Space. During the 5-hour, 28-minute spacewalk, Mastracchio and astronaut Clay Anderson (out of frame), Expedition 15 flight engineer, relocated the S-Band Antenna Sub-Assembly from Port 6 (P6) to Port 1 (P1) truss, installed a new transponder on P1 and retrieved the P6 transponder.

NASA Astronauts To Conduct ISS Spacewalk in December

In a statement, NASA said that American astronauts would do two spacewalks in December to install deployable solar arrays and boost electrical power for station operations and scientific research.

The iROSA will be installed by NASA astronauts Frank Rubio and Josh Cassada to supplement power generation for the 3A power channel, which is located at the starboard truss structure of the International Space Station. From within the orbiting lab, NASA astronaut Nicole Mann and Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata will assist them.

The two NASA astronauts will do additional tasks in addition to installing iROSA, such as making sure astronauts can turn the 1B channel back on.

Prior to the actual assignment, NASA said Cassada and Rubio spent time inspecting the batteries, equipment, and cameras they would use on a spacewalk.

On the other side, Mann and Wakata went over the procedures they will need to follow in order to support Cassada and Rubio during Saturday's spacewalk.

The two will control the Canadarm2 robotic arm, help the astronauts get into and out of their EMUs, and keep an eye on the spacewalkers during the mission.

According to NASA officials, Cassada will also likely wear the designation "extravehicular crew member 1" (EV 1) and a spacesuit with red stripes. Rubio will be wearing an unmarked suit and will be an EV 2.

ALSO READ: First-Time NASA Astronaut Spacewalkers Work Outside the Space Station for 7 Hours To Assemble a Mounting Bracket for Future Solar Arrays Upgrade [WATCH]

iROSA Explained

Spacewalking astronauts have already installed two of the six planned iROSA arrays. The additional panels will supplement the present ISS solar-power system rather than replacing it. The orbiting lab's electrical supply should grow by 20% to 30% once all six iROSAs are operational, according to NASA experts (per Space.com).

According to Space.Skyrocket, the iROSA is a novel kind of solar panel. In space, it can roll open.

IROSA is smaller than other rigid solar panel variants, making installation for NASA astronauts simpler.

On November 27, 2016, the first iROSAs arrived at the International Space Station. To find out more about these solar panels in space, see this link.