As part of Expedition 69, NASA astronauts Woody Hoburg and Steve Bowen completed a critical task in space.
According to NASA, the main goal of their mission was to add a new roll-out solar array to the International Space Station (ISS) in order to improve its capacity for power generation.
Solar Arrays Power the International Space Station
The ISS Roll-Out Array (IROSA) was installed primarily to increase power generation for the 1B power channel on the starboard truss section of the station.
The IROSA is the most recent development in solar array technology and was created to give the ISS access to yet another renewable energy source.
The spacewalk, which was a remarkable 5 hours and 35 minutes long, showcased Hoburg and Bowen’s prowess and knowledge as flight engineers.
They delicately guided the IROSA into place and secured it there, ensuring its stability and performance. They did this while working in the harsh environment of space.
Solar panels connected in groups, or arrays, absorb sunlight and provide electricity for the space station.
In 2017, the ISS utilized a robotic arm to unfold its first IROSA. IROSA can be expanded and contracted like a tape measure, claims NASA.
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IROSAs Improve Energy Generation in Space
IROSAs utilize energy more effectively and are often lighter than the ISS Solar array wings.
IROSAs have been installed by NASA over a number of spacewalks since its introduction.
The new arrays supplement the current power supply and bring electricity back to the levels it was at before the original arrays were put in place.
A little more than half of the original array is shaded by the 60 feet by 20 feet array that was put in place on Thursday.
A 30% boost in power production over the station’s current arrays is made possible by the new IROSAs, each of which generates more than 20 kilowatts of electricity.
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