Two astronauts ventured outside the International Space Station (ISS) to attempt to install the first of six new Boeing-built solar arrays — part of a program to increase the station’s electrical power generation capacity as its science and research demands increase and future expansion plans continue.
The Extravehicular Activity (EVA) – officially known as US EVA-74 – began at 12:11 UTC / 08:11 EDT when Thomas Pesquet from the European Space Agency (ESA) and Shane Kimbrough from NASA took their spacesuits to battery power before exiting the Quest Airlock to begin their work.
A series of issues with Shane’s suit and with unfolding of the IROSA solar panel ended the EVA before all the planned tasks could be accomplished.