Astronauts on the International Space Station will conduct a spacewalk as soon as Tuesday to replace a malfunctioning data relay box, according to NASA.
Mission managers met Sunday and approved the spacewalk to replace the multiplexer-demultiplexer box, which failed Saturday.
The MDM box is one of two systems that control the functions of radiators, solar arrays, cooling loops and other station hardware. The second system is still functioning.
NASA stressed the crew is not endangered by the failure, which is believed to be inside the MDM box.
Before the meeting, station commander Peggy Whitson tested a spare MDM box on the station and determined that it’s working.
The spacewalk will last about two hours.
It will be the sixth spacewalk for the ISS crew members this year.
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