The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said on Friday in Washington that two U.S. astronauts had conducted more than six-hour spacewalk outside the International Space Station.
It said that the walk was to connect one of two docking adapters set to be used for future spacecraft arrivals.
The agency said that the adapters would be used for Boeing and SpaceX commercial crew spacecrafts and were “important milestone in the efforts to include manned space flights from the United States again’’.
It said that the astronauts, Kate Rubins and Jeff Williams, could be seen tinkering on the adapters while orbiting some 400 kilometres above Earth.
It said that it was Rubin’s first spacewalk and Williams’ fourth time venturing outside the station.
The ISS is currently operated by five space agencies representing the United States, Russia, Japan, Europe and Canada.
Three Russians and a Japanese astronaut are also currently stationed on the orbiting laboratory. (dpa/NAN)