NASA astronaut Nick Hague participated in his second spacewalk, dedicating nearly seven hours to upgrade the International Space Station’s (ISS) power storage capacity alongside fellow astronaut Christina Koch. The Expedition 72 crew prepared for further spacewalks aimed at servicing scientific equipment and enhancing station hardware while conducting essential biotechnology research for health improvements both on Earth and in space.
Two upcoming spacewalks scheduled for January 16 and 23 will involve astronauts Nick Hague and Suni Williams, focusing on maintaining astrophysics research instruments, upgrading communication systems, and probing for microbial life outside the ISS. The first mission will tackle repairing a light leak in the NICER X-ray telescope, prepping the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer for future upgrades, and replacing navigation equipment.
Both spacewalks are set to commence around 7:00 a.m. ET, with live coverage provided by NASA. In the interim, Hague processed micro-algae samples for potential food and oxygen production, while other astronauts engaged in orbital maintenance tasks. Additionally, Russian cosmonauts examined how astronauts adapt their balance and orientation in weightlessness, furthering studies on human capabilities in space environments.
