WATCH LIVE: Astronauts Jeff Williams and Kate Rubins embark on spacewalk outside ISS
Two American astronauts, Jeff Williams and Kate Rubins, will spacewalk Friday to attach a new docking mechanism.
During the spacewalk the Expedition 48 crew members to install the first International Docking Adapter (IDA), the new docking port that will enable the future arrival of U.S. commercial crew spacecraft.
Incredible images of the International Space Station
According to NASA:
The docking adapter was launched on a SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft and arrived at the station July 20. It stands about 42 inches tall and is 63 inches in diameter on the inside. Sensors and other fittings ring the perimeter of the adapter and give it an overall diameter of about 94 inches. Spacecraft flying to the station will use the sensors on the IDA to track to and help the spacecraft's navigation system steer the spacecraft to a safe docking without astronaut involvement.
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