They are installing metal oxide canisters that remove carbon dioxide and new batteries to power their suits for the 6-hour spacewalk.
Next week’s spacewalk activities include inspecting the station's right solar array gear and removing and replacing the "broom" -- the bearing motor roll ring module. Over the weekend, cameras on the Canadarm2 will videotape the condition of the solar array gear as it rotates 360 degrees. The video inspection will assist engineers on the ground as they formulate a plan on future repairs.
On Monday, Feb. 4, a Progress 27 resupply vehicle will leave the orbiting laboratory and be replaced three days later when the Progress 28 arrives. In preparation for the arrival of Progress 28, Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko is testing an automated rendezvous system from the Pirs docking compartment.
Source: NASA
Related stories:
Space station exchanges cargo ships
The crew of the International Space Station was preparing Tuesday for an exchange of cargo spaceships.
ISS Crew Repair Carbon Dioxide Removal System, Prepare For New Supplies
The residents of the International Space Station last week unloaded cargo delivered to them last month by Discovery's astronauts, prepared for the arrival of more supplies and repaired a key component of the outpost's environmental control system.
Key to virulence protein entry into host cells discovered
Researchers from the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech have identified the region of a large family of virulence proteins in oomycete plant pathogens that enables the proteins to enter the cells of their hosts. The protein region contains the amino acid sequence motifs RXLR and dEER and has the ability to carry the virulence proteins across the membrane surrounding plant cells without any additional machinery from the pathogen.
UNH researchers tag first-ever free-swimming leatherback turtles in New England
University of New Hampshire researchers have tagged one male and two female leatherback turtles off Cape Cod. They are the first free-swimming leatherbacks ever tagged in New England.
Jules Verne refuels the ISS
ESA's Jules Verne ATV was used for the first time yesterday to transfer in one step 811 kg of refuelling propellant to the International Space Station while the two vehicles orbited Earth at 28 000 km/h. With this premiere for Europe, Jules Verne becomes the first western spaceship to succeed in refuelling another space infrastructure in orbit.
Sticky blood protein yields clues to autism
Many children with autism have elevated blood levels of serotonin – a chemical with strong links to mood and anxiety. But what relevance this “hyperserotonemia” has for autism has remained a mystery.
Station Crew Ready for Wednesday's Spacewalk
The Expedition 16 crew aboard the International Space Station wrapped up preparations Tuesday for a 6.5-hour spacewalk scheduled to begin early Wednesday.
Spacewalk Set for Tomorrow
The International Space Station’s crew enjoyed a day off duty Tuesday before starting a heavy schedule of spacewalks and robotics activities, which kick off with a spacewalk by Commander Peggy Whitson and Flight Engineer Yuri Malenchenko Friday morning. The goal of the work is the relocation of the Harmony module so the station will be ready to receive the European laboratory module on the next shuttle flight, targeted to launch in early December.
