(AGENPARL) - Roma, 13 Gennaio 2023 - (AGENPARL) – ven 13 gennaio 2023 January 13, 2023
MEDIA ADVISORY M23-006
NASA to Provide Coverage of US Spacewalk, Preview News Conference
[A photo of Expedition 68 Flight Engineer and NASA spacewalker Josh Cassada on Dec. 22, 2022, preparing a roll-out solar array for its deployment on the International Space Station.](https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/jan_20_eva.jpg)
jan_20_eva.jpg
A photo of Expedition 68 Flight Engineer and NASA spacewalker Josh Cassada on Dec. 22, 2022, preparing a roll-out solar array for its deployment on the International Space Station’s Port-4 truss segment as the orbiting lab flew 264 miles above the Indian Ocean off the coast of South Africa. Credits: NASA
Two astronauts on the International Space Station will conduct a spacewalk Friday, Jan. 20, to install hardware for future power system upgrades. Experts will preview the work during a Tuesday, Jan. 17, news conference at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
NASA will preview the spacewalk and provide live coverage of the power system upgrades on NASA Television, the [NASA app](https://www.nasa.gov/connect/apps.html), and the agency’s [website](https://www.nasa.gov/nasalive).
The news conference will take place at 2 p.m. EST (1 p.m. CST) Jan. 17, with the following participants:
– Dina Contella, operations integration manager, International Space Station Program
– Chloe Mehring, spacewalk flight director
– Keith Johnson, lead spacewalk officer
On Jan. 20, NASA astronaut [Nicole Mann](https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/nicole-a-mann/biography) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Koichi Wakata will exit the station’s Quest airlock to complete the installation of two mounting platforms as part of planned solar array augmentation on the starboard side of the International Space Station’s truss.
The duo will complete the installation of a mounting platform on the 1B power channel that was started during a previous spacewalk and begin installing a mounting platform on the 1A power channel.
NASA will provide live coverage beginning at 7 a.m. EST. The spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 8:15 a.m., and last about six and a half hours.
The installation is part of a series of spacewalks to augment the International Space Station’s power channels with new International Space Station Roll-Out Solar Arrays (iROSAs). Four iROSAs have been installed so far, and two more will be mounted to the platforms installed during this spacewalk in the future.
Mann will serve as extravehicular crew member 2 (EV 2) and will wear an unmarked suit. Wakata will serve as extravehicular crew member 1 (EV 1) and will wear a suit with red stripes. The spacewalk will be the first for both Mann and Wakata.
Learn more about International Space Station research and operations at:
[https://www.nasa.gov/station](https://www.nasa.gov/station/)
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Press Contacts
Lora Bleacher
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
Gary Jordan
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111