Spacewalk needed to move stalled rail auto

A pair of NASA astronauts plan to exit the International Space Station on Monday morning in an effort to secure a rail auto that is stuck in the wrong place.

The surprise spacewalk could occur as early as Monday (Dec. 21) and would send NASA astronauts Scott Kelly and Tim Kopra outside the space station to free the outpost’s Mobile Transporter railcar, which stopped moving on Wednesday (Dec. 16) while under remote control by flight controllers on Earth.

The rail car’s brake was believed to have become stuck unexpectedly last week after it moved about 10 cm from its starting point.

The Progress cargo ship filled with food and supplies launched from Kazakhstan about four hours before the start of the spacewalk.

NASA operations manager Kenny Todd said Friday the vehicle needs to be securely attached to its guide rails before any dockings by visiting spacecraft.

The mobile transport system is normally used to transport people and equipment, including the station’s big robot arm.

Kopra arrived at the station six days ago with Britain’s first professional astronaut, Timothy Peake, and Russia’s Yuri Malenchenko.

The spacewalk will be Kelly’s third since he began a yearlong mission in March, and the second of Kopra’s career.

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