Two US astronauts transformed into spacewalking mechanics on Wednesday as they floated outside the International Space Station to grease a robotic arm and help prepare parking docks for commercial crew capsules.
Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and flight engineer Terry Virts began their six-and-a-half hour spacewalk at 6:51 am (12:51 GMT) when they placed their suits on internal battery power before emerging from the airlock, NASA said.
The astronauts are both wearing helmet cameras that allow viewers on Earth to see the spacewalkers’ perspective, as part of a live broadcast on NASA television and on its website.
The team’s goal for the spacewalk is to route two bundles of cable, lubricate latching parts of the space station’s robotic arm and prepare for another operation later this year to move modules around the orbiting outpost.