![\"NASA](\"https:\/\/blogs.nasa.gov\/spacestation\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/240\/2023\/06\/blog_iss069e018537.jpg\")
<\/a>The International Space Station<\/a>\u2019s sixth roll-out solar array will be installed this week after last week\u2019s installation of its fifth roll-out solar array. The Expedition 69<\/a> crew spent Monday preparing for the installation spacewalk while also continuing research, cargo, and maintenance activities.<\/p>\n NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen<\/a> and Woody Hoburg<\/a> will once again exit the space station\u2019s Quest airlock<\/a> at 9:20 a.m. EDT on Thursday for their second roll-out solar array installation spacewalk together. The spacewalkers will install another roll-out solar array on the opposite side of the starboard truss structure<\/a> where they installed the orbital outpost\u2019s fifth roll-out solar array<\/a>. Thursday\u2019s spacewalk will represent the completion of the power upgrade work ultimately increasing the station\u2019s power-generating capacity by 30%.<\/p>\n Bowen and Hoburg spent several hours on Monday reviewing their solar array installation procedures, configuring spacewalking tools, and conferring with ground engineers. The pair were also joined around midday by Flight Engineers Frank Rubio<\/a> of NASA and Sultan Alneyadi<\/a> of UAE (United Arab Emirates) for the procedure reviews. Rubio and Alneyadi then completed their work shift after training on a computer for the Canadarm2 robotic arm<\/a> maneuvers they will use to support Thursday\u2019s spacewalkers.<\/p>\n The four astronauts still had time on Monday for a variety of other activities promoting health, studying physics, and resupplying the orbital outpost. Rubio had a vision test that had him reading characters on a standard eye chart. Bowen swapped samples inside the Fluids Science Laboratory<\/a> for a foam physics study<\/a> potentially benefitting Earth and space industries. Hoburg and Alneyadi took turns unpacking the SpaceX Dragon cargo vehicle<\/a> and stowing the new science experiments, hardware, and crew supplies aboard the station.<\/p>\n The space station\u2019s three cosmonauts with Commander Sergey Prokopyev<\/a> and Flight Engineers Dmitri Petelin<\/a> and Andrey Fedyaev<\/a> cleared their schedule on Monday and relaxed. The trio will soon begin preparing for the next spacewalk out of the Roscosmos segment of the orbiting lab.<\/p>\n Learn more about station activities by following the\u00a0space station blog<\/a>,\u00a0@space_station<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0@ISS_Research<\/a>\u00a0on Twitter, as well as the\u00a0ISS Facebook<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0ISS Instagram<\/a>\u00a0accounts.<\/p>\n Get weekly video highlights at:\u00a0https:\/\/roundupreads.jsc.nasa.gov\/videoupdate\/<\/a><\/p>\n Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here:\u00a0www.nasa.gov\/subscribe<\/a><\/p>\n Powered by WPeMatico<\/a><\/small><\/p>\n Get The Details…<\/a><\/p>\n Mark Garcia <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The International Space Station\u2019s sixth roll-out solar array will be installed this week after last week\u2019s installation of its fifth roll-out solar array. The Expedition 69 crew spent Monday preparing for the installation spacewalk while also continuing research, cargo, and maintenance activities. NASA astronauts Stephen Bowen and Woody Hoburg will once again exit the space \u2026 Continue reading
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