Astronauts conduct spacewalk at ISS for electronics, thermal system upgrades

March 23 (UPI) -- Two astronauts exited the International Space Station on Wednesday, conducting a spacewalk to install a new thermal system and electronics aboard the station, in addition to other needed "get ahead" tasks.

NASA astronaut Raja Chari and European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer exited ISS just after 8:30 a.m. EDT, getting to work an hour later after handling an issue with Maurer's camera and light assembly on his helmet.

They also spent the first part of Wednesday's spacewalk moving equipment around ahead of starting the planned equipment upgrades.

During the nearly seven-hour spacewalk, the duo installed hoses on a radiator beam valve module that rotates ammonia to keep the proper temperature in the ISS.

They then moved on to a power and data cable on the Columbus module's Bartolomeo science platform, replacing an external camera on the station's truss and conducting other upgrades to station hardware.

Chari and Maurer wrapped up their spacewalk just before 3:30 p.m. EDT, as they closed the hatch thermal cover to repressurize the Quest airlock and get out of their space suits.

This was Chari's second spacewalk and Maurer's first. The two arrived at the ISS in November for their first space mission.

The spacewalk came eight days after Chari completed his first spacewalk with fellow astronaut Kayla Barron -- her second. The two spent 6 hours and 54 minutes preparing for the installation of new solar arrays on March 15.

Two of six new solar arrays have been unfurled to power the station's electronics over the past year.