US Astronauts Complete Successful Spacewalk to Fix Station
Astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Michael Hopkins (not shown) work to repair an external cooling line on the International Space Station, 260 miles above Earth, Dec. 24, 2013.
Two American astronauts have successfully repaired a crippled cooling system during a rare Christmas Eve spacewalk.
It was the second spacewalk in less than a week for astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins, and only the second Christmas Eve spacewalk ever performed.
NASA ordered the spacewalks to revive a critical cooling loop at the International Space Station and install a new pump.
All non-essential equipment had to be turned off when the line died on December 11, and many experiments were halted.
NASA said the seven-hour spacewalk was a success, and the cooling system should be restored and all equipment back up and running soon.
Two Russian cosmonauts are scheduled for a spacewalk Friday to install new cameras.
Astronauts Fix Pump at the International Space Station
1/11Astronaut Mike Hopkins and Astronaut Rick Mastracchio replace a faulty pump on the International Space Station during a spacewalk, Dec. 24, 2013.
2/11Astronauts Rick Mastracchio, top, and Michael Hopkins work to repair an external cooling line on the International Space Station, Dec. 24, 2013.
3/11Astronaut Mike Hopkins is seen at the end of the robotic arm on the International Space Station during a spacewalk, Dec. 24, 2013.
4/11Astronaut Mike Hopkins works outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk, Dec. 24, 2013.
5/11Astronauts Rick Mastracchio, top, and Michael Hopkins work to repair an external cooling line on the International Space Station, Dec. 24, 2013.
6/11NASA astronaut Mike Hopkins is seen during the spacewalk, received December 22, 2013.
7/11In this image made from video provided by NASA, astronaut Rick Mastracchio performs a space walk outside the International Space Station, Dec. 21, 2013.
8/11Astronaut Rick Mastracchio (L) checks out the spacesuit that he will wear during a spacewalk with crew member Mike Hopkins at the International Space Station in this undated image taken from video from NASA TV.
9/11Astronaut Mike Hopkins checks out the spacesuit he will be wearing on a spacewalk at the International Space Station, in this undated handout photo from NASA.
10/11Flight engineers Michael Hopkins and Rick Mastracchio perform a series of spacewalks outside the International Space Station in this Dec. 21, 2013 still image taken from a NASA handout video.
11/11Astronauts Michael Hopkins and Rick Mastracchio perform a series of spacewalks outside the International Space Station in this Dec. 21, 2013 still image taken from a NASA handout video.
The Voice of America provides news and information in more than 40 languages to an estimated weekly audience of over 326 million people. Stories with the VOA News byline are the work of multiple VOA journalists and may contain information from wire service reports.
