A spacewalk from the International Space Station (ISS) has successfully put into place a new IDA-2 docking adapter which will convert the old PMA-2 Space Shuttle adaptor to one that can receive the new Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew Dragon craft. The IDA-2 adapter was originally inside of the trunk of the Dragon CRS 1-09 spacecraft. At 2315 GMT on 17 August the Dextre robot positioned on the end of the Canadarm-2 grappled the IDA-2. At 0120 GMT on 18 August Dextre (on the end of the robot arm) unberthed the IDA-2 and placed it 1m from the old PMA-2 port at 0645 GMT. Then at 1016 on 19 August, the Dextre robot moved the IDA-2 into position on the PMA-2. (All times from Jonathan McDowell).
Artist’s impression of manned Dragon V2 coming into dock near unmanned Dragon 1 spacecraft. Courtesy: NASA
On the same day Jeff Williams and Kate Rubins started their spacewalk at 1203 GMT (hatch open) to initially connect the PMA-2 which was released by Dextre at 1316 GMT. The new adaptor was finally and firmly mated to PMA-2 by 1440 GMT with a soft cover removed and cabling attached. Other tasks on the spacewalk were cancelled when a communications issue on William’s suit became evident and after the astronauts returned to the airlock the hatch was closed at 1757 GMT with the airlock repressurised at 1802 GMT.
