NASA astronauts install new roll-out solar array on Space station

NASA astronauts successfully achieved another milestone as Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio installed Roll-Out Solar Array on the starboard truss structure of the space station on Sunday (December 4).

Astronauts ended their spacewalk around 12:51 am today after successfully installing a new roll-out solar array on the station.

Astronauts ended their spacewalk at 2:21 pm ET today after successfully installing a new roll-out solar array on the station.

One can watch the Spacewalk process on the NASA app, the space station blog, and the agency's website. In the process crew members of Expedition 68 are seen preparing to exit the International Space Station's Quest airlock for a spacewalk that began at about 7:25 am. EST and lasted approximately seven hours.

Astronauts Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio have successfully installed Roll-Out Solar Array on the starboard truss structure of the @Space_Station. 

They have also disconnected a cable allowing restoring a power channel to 75% of its operating capacity.

In addition to installing an iROSA, the spacewalkers will disconnect a cable to allow the 1B power channel to be reactivated after it was shut down due to a power trip in its electrical system.

The disconnection of the cable will isolate the affected portion of the array and restore the channel to 75 percent of its normal operating capacity, NASA reported in their space station blog.

Cassada will serve as extravehicular crew member 1 (EV 1) and will wear a suit with red stripes. Rubio will serve as extravehicular crew member 2 (EV 2) and will wear the unmarked suit.

The spacewalk will be the second for both Cassada and Rubio.

Spacewalk in progress. Watch astronauts Astro Josh (suit with red stripes) and Frank Rubio (unmarked suit) install new Space Station rollout solar arrays. The spacewalk is expected to last seven hours.