NASA sent astronauts into outer space to install two solar panels weighing 340 kg

The day before, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) canceled

But after reducing the risk of the International Space Station (ISS) colliding with a fragment of a Russian rocket, specialists still began to perform their tasks.

What is known

December 20 at 15:0042 (EET), the ISS dodged a fragment of the Fregat-SB upper stage, which was passing at a distance of less than 400 meters from the station. A day later, Frank Rubio and Josh Cassada went into outer space to install two solar panels.

The astronauts left the station on December 22 at 15:19(EET). Within 7 hours they will be engaged in the installation of two solar panels, each of which weighs 340 kg. This will increase the station's capacity from 160 kW to 215 kW. The space agency is broadcasting it live.

Now the ISS is equipped with two solar panels, and NASA plans to install six panels in total. They are delivered to the station by SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft.