today: walking in space

The first of three scheduled spacewalks is underway today, as US astronauts Rick Mastracchio and Mike Hopkins begin external repairs on the International Space Station.

Outside the space station.

260 miles above the Earth.

NASA TV streams live online, with the view alternating between various ISS cameras, the ground control center, and

the astronauts' helmet cameras.

Today's walk began shortly after 7AM Eastern Standard Time, and is expected to go on for about 6 hours so, depending on where you are in the world, there may be plenty of time to tune in and watch the livestream for a bit if you are so inclined. As "night" becomes "day" becomes "night" again...the ISS orbits the Earth about 16 times in 24 hours.

I find it mesmerizing.

~~~~~