Ongoing Spacewalk Preps, Emergency Training Keep Crew Busy on Wednesday

Spacewalk preparations are ongoing aboard the International Space Station as two astronauts gear up to replace a high-speed antenna next week. The Expedition 75 crew members also practiced their emergency response skills in coordination with mission controllers on Earth.

Spacesuit maintenance and procedure reviews filled the schedule on Wednesday to support a spacewalk scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 18. Flight engineers Anil Menon of NASA and Sophie Adenot of ESA (European Space Agency) will work outside the orbital outpost for about six-and-a-half hours to replace a high-speed data and communications antenna.

Menon and Adenot joined NASA flight engineer Jack Hathaway and studied the steps necessary to remove a failed space-to-ground antenna, stow it on an external platform, then install a spare antenna on the space station’s Z1 truss segment. Hathaway, along with NASA commander Jessica Meir, will assist the spacewalkers next week both in and out of their spacesuits and operate the Canadarm2 robotic arm during the excursion.

Meir was on spacesuit duty throughout Wednesday, first swapping out a safety filter that prevents unwanted gas and moisture from entering a suit’s breathing and cooling systems. Afterward, she bundled the spacesuits using straps and a storage bag for temporary stowage inside the Quest airlock. Menon also worked on the spacesuit that he will wear next week adjusting its arm, leg, and waist components.

Roscosmos flight engineers Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina took turns during their shift conducting a photographic inspection of windows inside the Zvezda service module, the Nauka science module, and the Poisk mini-research module. Dubrov later activated Earth observation hardware for an automated photography session of Asia-Pacific landmarks during the crew’s sleep shift. Kikina transferred water between tanks to support the operation of Zvezda’s Elektron oxygen generator. Roscosmos flight engineer Andrey Fedyaev assisted Kikina with the oxygen generator maintenance then checked power connections and took inventory of electronics gear stowed in Nauka.

All seven Expedition 75 crew members began Wednesday together and called down to mission controllers on Earth to practice their emergency roles and responsibilities. The crewmates used computer tablets and reviewed procedures for emergency scenarios such as a pressure leak, a chemical leak, or a fire. They also coordinated with ground personnel and mimicked the actions necessary to protect themselves and the space station.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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