After spacewalk, station ready for new arrivals
Astronaut Kate Rubins at work outside the space station.
Image: NASA
This new docking equipment for the International Space Station is a step in NASA’s Commercial Crew program -- the space agency's investment in companies that are developing spacecraft to take astronauts to and from low Earth orbit.
The docking adapter was installed by the commander of the station, Jeff Williams, 58, and Kate Rubins, 37, flight engineer, and will enable SpaceX and Boeing spacecraft to dock at the station.
The two companies have been awarded contracts with NASA to begin transporting astronauts next year. NASA’s shuttle program ended in 2011, and ever since, U.S. astronauts have traveled to the station in Russian Soyuz spacecraft.
Today's spacewalk was the first since January, when one astronaut reported a water bubble in his helmet during a spacewalk. An analysis found that holes were partially blocked in a piece of hardware involved in managing condensation in the suit, a NASA official said during a press briefing Aug. 15. There were also operational procedures in place that could have contributed to the condensation problem.
Williams and Rubins successfully worked on the station for hours today, and NASA reported no problems with the suits.
Related:
Helmet malfunction ends successful spacewalk
In brief: More 'bright spots' on Ceres
In Space: Emergency spacewalk completed
Boeing, SpaceX to fly astronauts to station
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