NASA to Perform Second of Three Spacewalks

NASA astronaut Garrett Reisman, STS-132 mission specialist, participates in the mission's first session of extravehicular activity (EVA) as construction and maintenance continue on the International Space Station on May 17, 2010 in space. NASA via Getty Images

NASA flight controllers and engineers announced Monday of their plan to conduct two more spacewalks to finish repairs on the International Space Station that started Saturday.

The NASA flight controllers need to replace a failed pump module on the station’s starboard. The broken module is unable to keep the lab cool.

One of the pumps shorted out on July 31, forcing the crew onboard to shut down the equipment to prevent overheating, reported CNET News.

On Saturday, astronauts Doug Wheelock and Tracy Caldwell Dyson conducted an eight-hour spacewalk, but did not complete the necessary repairs due to an ammonia leak in one of the connectors.

At the second spacewalk scheduled on Wednesday, Wheelock and Dyson will first close “other disconnect lines” to isolate the ammonia and prevent any leakage and then they will remove the old pump, according to NASA.

The third spacewalk, in which the astronauts will install the new pump, will take place on or after Sunday.

NASA’s TV coverage of the second spacewalk will begin at 6 a.m. EDT. The spacewalk will likely begin at around 6:55 a.m.