May 1 (UPI) — Two NASA astronauts have completed a nearly six-hour spacewalk to perform maintenance and upgrades on the International Space Station, the agency announced Thursday.
Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers relocated a space station communications antenna and improved the ability to generate power on the ISS.
“Additionally, the astronaut pair completed a pair of get-ahead tasks, including installing a jumper cable to provide power from the P6 truss to the International Space Station’s Russian segment and another to remove bolts from a micrometeoroid cover,” a release from NASA said.
Moving the communications antenna and installing a bracket created space to equip the ISS with additional solar arrays in the future.
While the team accomplished most of its tasks, McClain and Ayers were forced to postpone others due to a lack of time and limited consumables.
It was the third spacewalk for McClain and the first for Ayers. It was the fifth all-female spacewalk performed by NASA astronauts.
