Anil Menon and Joshua Kutryk dey prepare to step outside International Space Station on Thursday, 5 November, to install the eighth and last solar array wey fit roll out. NASA Monday update put the start for 8.10am US Eastern Standard Time, wey be 2.10pm for Nigeria. Dem expect the work to take about seven hours.
The astronauts go work for the station starboard truss, the support structure for right side. Na opposite side from the port structure where dem fit another array on 29 October. Menon represent NASA, while Kutryk represent Canadian Space Agency. This new schedule concern another installation wey never happen. E no be another announcement of the October work wey dem don finish.
NASA expect say when dem complete the upgrade, the station power-generating capacity go rise from about 160 kilowatts to around 215 kilowatts. The agency describe the increase as about 30 per cent. These figures concern the station power system. Dem no measure electricity wey enter houses for Earth or power from any Nigerian solar installation.
On Monday, the two astronauts review how to use Canadarm2 robot arm with Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney. All four also discuss readiness with spacewalk specialists and talk with robotics engineers. This preparation matter because work outside the laboratory depend on people inside the station and controllers for ground, plus the two people wey go outside.
Research continue as dem prepare. Kutryk exercise with sensors on im body to study how heart and breathing respond when weight no dey pull body as usual. Delaney take care of blood-vessel tissue samples wey dem print. Watkins check portable DNA sequencer wey dem use study bacteria wey resist antibiotics. NASA report ongoing work, without announcing new treatment or completed medical breakthrough.
Wetin e mean for you. Readers for Nigeria wey wan watch fit plan with Nigerian time, instead of just adding one hour to US time. NASA+ coverage suppose start 12.45pm Thursday, before the 2.10pm work. Published plan and confirmation say dem don finish installation na different things. Check the latest mission notice before you watch, because work schedule fit change.