DHAKA: Two United States astronauts on Saturday stepped outside the International Space Station for the first of three spacewalks to fix a broken equipment cooling system.

Nasa said, reports The Straits Times.

‘Today’s spacewalk has officially begun,’ said a Nasa commentator as the space agency broadcast live images of Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata leading the operation from inside the space station.

The spacewalk began at 7.01am (1201 GMT), a few minutes earlier than planned. It is expected to last six and a half hours.

Veteran spacewalker Rick Mastracchio is making his seventh career spacewalk, accompanied by rookie Mike Hopkins, who is making his first venture outside the global research lab.

BDST: 1944 HRS, DEC 21, 2013
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor