Watch: NASA's first space walk in a year is happening above your head right now

US based space walks were curtailed last year after an Italian astronaut nearly drowned.

#Spacewalk: @Astro_Alex has the pump in hand & is ready for his ride on the robotic arm to stow the pump outside #ISS pic.twitter.com/sfsRI8ojVJ
— NASA (@NASA) October 7, 2014

NASA / Twitter

TWO ASTRONAUTS ARE space walking for the first time to carry out the first maintenance on the International Space Station in more than a year.

American astronaut Reid Wiseman and German spaceman Alexander Gerst ventured out outside ISS this morning to move a broken pump into its proper storage location.

US based space walks were curtailed in July 2013 after an Italian astronaut nearly drowned because of a flooded helmet.

.@astro_reid checking his suit and getting ready for our EVA this week #EVA27 #spacewalk pic.twitter.com/DGGcmI8odp
— Alexander Gerst (@Astro_Alex) October 4, 2014

Alexander Gerst / Twitter

NASA solved the problem with the suit’s water-cooling system but then concern arose over the spacesuit batteries. New batteries arrived late last month making today’s 260 miles high mission possible.

The 780-pound pump being moved today is the size of a double-door refrigerator and has been in temporary storage since last December.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/9408562

Read: New crew blast off to International Space Station >

Read: Here’s why you really should be following the International Space Station online >

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