NASA-ESA astronauts to conduct marathon spacewalk on Mar 23; here's how to watch live

NASA astronaut Raja Chari and European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Matthias Maurer are ready to step out of the International Space Station (ISS) for their second spacewalk on March 23. The duo would conduct a marathon spacewalk that would last about six-and-a-half-hour and would start after 6 pm. NASA would provide live coverage of the mission which is set to be carried out for installing a few pieces of equipment aboard the ISS.

When and where to watch the spacewalk?

NASA would provide live coverage of the spacewalk starting at 5 pm (IST). The spacewalk, however, would begin at 6:20 pm, informed the agency. Interested viewers can tune in to NASA Television, the agency’s website, and the NASA app to watch the astronaut duo. 

Purpose of the spacewalk

Astronauts Chari and Maurer would install hoses on a Radiator Beam Valve Module that routes ammonia through the station’s heat-rejecting radiators to keep systems at the proper temperature. In addition to this, the duo would also install a power and data cable and replace an external camera on the space station during the mission designated U.S. EVA 80. Both the astronauts would be assisted by their companions Kayla Barron and Tom Marshburn. 

In a blog released on Tuesday, NASA said that both Chari and Maurer underwent standard medical checkups the day before their spacewalk. They have been cleared for their venture after an examination of their ear, heart, breathing rate, blood pressure, and temperature. 

Upcoming event 

The next major event at the ISS is NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei's return to Earth on March 30. Vande Hei would be making his return after a record-breaking 355 continuous days in space. The US astronaut would be making his return in a Russian spacecraft with two Russian cosmonauts-  Anton Shkaplerov and Pyotr Dubrov. Considering the stale relations between Russia and the US over the former's invasion of Ukraine, it was being speculated that Vande Hei's return would be delayed. However, that does not seem to be the case as Moscow has clarified that the NASA astronaut would return on the decided date. On March 19, Russia sent three more cosmonauts- Oleg Artemyev, Sergey Korsakov and Denis Matveev to the ISS. 

Image: NASA