Science/Tech

British Astronaut All Set for First Spacewalk

By Kanika Gupta | Update Date: Jan 19, 2016 12:06 PM EST

Tim Peake, European Space Agency astronaut, walked the space on Friday and thus becoming the first British to step out of international space station to wearing a British Flag. "Today's exhilarating #spacewalk will be etched in my memory forever -- quite an incredible feeling! " Peake tweeted. Peake, 43, was escorted by U.S. astronaut Tim Kopra on the EVA (extravehicular activity) to switch a power regulator that apparently failed. They had to install a valve and then attach cables outside the station, said the space agency. ESA was tweeted a moment-by-moment description of the astronaut's movement along the truss of the station, unlatching the failed regulator and making the replacement. NASA also tweeted that the spacewalk that was to be for 6 hours had to be cut short due to "small amount of water" found in Kopra's helmet. They also added that the two astronauts came back to the pressurized space station at 12:31 PM ET, as reported by CNN  

As many as 191 spacewalks have been held at the space station for maintenance purposes. This also includes a walk done by NASA in 2014 that was similar in nature by astronaut Reid Wiseman, who also helped guide the current EVA from Houston. Major Peake, former helicopter test pilot and Army Air Corps, is the first Briton to go to ISS and also the first fully British astronaut employed by ESA. He will stay on ISS for six months from his date of arrival on December 15th, says Independent.

Even though Peake is the first British astronaut to make the iconic spacewalk, Michael Foale, dual British and US citizen, was the first the person to be born in Britain and walk in space in 1995. However, Foale was a NASA astronaut and from ESA.

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