NASA Sets Preview Briefing, TV Schedule for Space Station Spacewalk

Two NASA astronauts aboard the International Space Station will conduct a spacewalk in the coming week to replace a failed backup computer relay system on the space station's truss. The activity, designated U.S. EVA 26, will be broadcast live on NASA Television and previewed in a briefing at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston at 9:30 a.m. EDT Friday, April 18.

The briefing participants are: -- Mike Suffredini, International Space Station program manager -- Brian Smith, International Space Station flight director -- Glenda Brown, lead spacewalk officer

NASA astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Steve Swanson are scheduled to venture outside the space station Wednesday, April 23, to replace a backup multiplexer-demultiplexer (MDM) that failed during routine testing April 11. The box is one of the station's two external MDMs that provide commands to some of the space station's systems, including the external cooling system, solar alpha rotary joints and mobile transporter rail car.

NASA TV coverage of the April 23 spacewalk will begin at 8:30 a.m. The spacewalk is scheduled to begin at 9:20 a.m.

If Friday's SpaceX cargo launch to the station is postponed, the two Expedition 39 astronauts will conduct the spacewalk Sunday, April 20. NASA TV coverage would begin at 8 a.m. with the spacewalk scheduled to begin at 8:55 a.m.

Reporters may attend the spacewalk preview briefing in-person at Johnson or at other participating NASA centers. Media representatives who wish to ask questions by phone must call the Johnson newsroom at 281-483-5111 no later than 9:15 a.m.

The spacewalk will be the 179th in support of space station assembly and maintenance, the ninth in Mastracchios career and the fifth for Swanson. Mastracchio will carry the designation of EV 1, wearing the spacesuit bearing red stripes. Swanson will be EV 2, wearing the spacesuit without stripes.

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NASA Sets Preview Briefing, TV Schedule for Space Station Spacewalk