The video features footage taken of the parachute deployment as seen from the ground, as well as from onboard GoPros fixed to the drop test vehicle and looking up at the parachute. The test focused on the deployment and inflation of the second main stage 35m-wide parachute, which will be the largest to fly on Mars.
Discussing the test are Stephane Langlois, ESA ExoMars engineer, and John Underwood, principal engineer at Vorticity.
The test was carried out by Vorticity Ltd under supervision of Thales Alenia Space France, Thales Alenia Space Italy and ESA, in Kiruna, Sweden, on 2 March 2018.
This unedited video without sound lasts over five hours and shows almost all of ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet’s spacewalk outside the International Space Station.
NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough and Thomas left the International Space Station airlock 24 March 2017 on their second spacewalk together. Thomas and Shane worked separately throughout their sortie.
Thomas was tasked to inspected the Station’s cooling system for leaks. He took photos and videos as he patted and prodded the cooling pipes to see if any coolant leaked out. This video starts when he turns on the camera used to record cooling system inspection for analysis by ground control.
Thomas’ second task was to maintain the multipurpose robotic hand Dextre – he had the laborious job of applying lubricant. After setting up a foot restraint to allow him to work with both hands, NASA astronaut Peggy Whitson moved Dextre into position using the controls inside the Station.
The video ends with Thomas returning to the Quest airlock – the spacewalk lasted six hours and 34 minutes in total with time spent in the airlock included.
The mission is part of ESA’s vision to use Earth-orbiting spacecraft as a place to live and work for the benefit of European society while using the experience to prepare for future voyages of exploration further into the Solar System.
GoPro footage of ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet working outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk on 24 March 2017.
Thomas is seen performing his spacewalk tasks. Firstly he inspected the Station’s cooling system for leaks. He took photos and recorded video images as he patted and prodded the cooling pipes to see if any coolant leaked out. No leak was found, but ground control can now analyse the images in detail.
Thomas’ second task was to maintain the multipurpose robotic hand Dextre – he had the laborious job of applying lubricant. The footage concludes when he has set up a foot restraint and is preparing to start work on Dextre – backdropped by a spectactular view of our planet.
For this spacewalk, Thomas and NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough spent six hours and 34 minutes outside the Station.
Thomas is spending six months on the International Space Station as part of his Proxima mission. During Proxima, Thomas will perform around 50 scientific experiments for ESA and France’s space agency CNES as well as take part in many research activities for the other Station partners.
The mission is part of ESA’s vision to use Earth-orbiting spacecraft as a place to live and work for the benefit of European society while using the experience to prepare for future voyages of exploration further into the Solar System.
Music: ’Oaxaca’ Written by M. Cherry, C. Dennis, G. Fuchs, C. McNeal, S. Moore Performed by Maserati Published by Rough Trade Publishing Courtesy of Temporary Residence Ltd. By Arrangement with Bank Robber Music
