Spacewalk Photos: Astronauts Prep Space Station for Future Commercial Spacecraft

EVA-40

Astronauts Thomas Pesquet of the European Space Agency (left) and Shane Kimbrough of NASA embarked on a spacewalk on March 24, 2017 to prepare the orbiting lab for the future docking of commercial spacecraft and do some other routine maintenance. During the spacewalk, titled U.S. EVA-40, Kimbrough (EV-1) wore the suit with red stripes, and Pesquet (EV-2) wore the plain white suit.

Pre-Spacewalk Selfie

Pesquet takes a selfie with Kimbrough in the Cupola at the International Space Station on March 19. The SpaceX Dragon cargo ship can be seen through the window.

Kimbrough's Space Selfie

ISS Commander Shane Kimbrough snaps a a selfie during his fifth spacewalk on March 24, 2017.

Pre-Spacewalk Portrait

Pesquet is pictured getting ready to head outside for his second spacewalk.

Pesquet's 2nd Spacewalk

Pesquet floats outside the International Space Station during his second spacewalk on March 24, 2017.

In the Airlock

NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson saves some photos of the spacewalkers before setting them out the door.

Replacing MDM

Kimbrough kicked off his spacewalk by heading to the Starboard-0 (S0) truss to replace an old, external backup computer called Multiplexer-Demultiplexer (MDM).

EPIC MDM

The new computer unit, called the Enhanced Processor and Integrated Communications (EPIC MDM), has upgraded software for the new docking adapter.

Kimbrough Climbs Outside the ISS

After completing the computer upgrade, Kimbrough made his way to the Tranquility module to disconnect the Pressurized Mating Adapter-3 (PMA-3). A few days later, NASA's ground crews used the station's robotic arm to relocate the PMA-3 to the Harmony module, where it will be used to dock commercial spacecraft at the space station by 2018.

Pesquet Outside the ISS

Pesquet started off his spacewalk by fetching a foot restraint before heading over to the P1 truss to investigate a suspected ammonia leak from a radiator valve in the station's cooling system.

Looking for Leaks

Pesquet jostled a set of hoses in the station's radiator heat belt monitor, the suspected source of the leak, in an effort to rattle loose any possible flakes of frozen ammonia. After looking for the leak for about 2 hours, he found no signs ammonia outside the space station.