Alexander testing spacesuit

ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst testing his spacesuit on the International Space Station in preparation for 7 October 2014 when he will venture into open space with NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman on a seven-hour spacewalk.

Their main job is to move a failed cooling pump that was left in a temporary location by previous spacewalkers to its final position. Alexander and Reid will then install a unit that will allow the Station’s robotic arm to remain powered even when it is being relocated.

This sortie will be the 27th US-led spacewalk. Reid has the callsign EV1 and will be wearing the suit with red stripes, while Alexander will be EV2 without stripes.

Follow Alexander and his mission via http://alexandergerst.esa.int