Astronaut captures selfie taken during spacewalk on the ISS
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Earlier this week, astronauts on board the ISS embarked on the first US spacewalk since April to move a broken pump.
And during the three-hour event - which was broadcast live online - astronaut Alexander Gerst took time out to take a stellar selfie.
The Expedition 41 flight engineer used a digital camera to take the photo on his helmet visor, in which, the reflection of the sun and parts of the space station are visible.
Say cheese! During a three-hour spacewalk to move a broken pump outside the ISS, astronaut Alexander Gerst took time out to take a stellar selfie (pictured). The Expedition 41 flight engineer used a digital camera to take the photo on his helmet visor, in which, the reflection of the sun and parts of the space station are visible
US-based spacewalks were curtailed in July 2013 after Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano nearly drowned because of a flooded helmet.
Nasa solved the problem with the suit's water-cooling system, but then concern arose over spacesuit batteries.
New batteries arrived late last month, clearing the way for Tuesday's spacewalk, and another one scheduled for next week.
On Tuesday, American astronaut Reid Wiseman and German Mr Gerst worked together to move a broken pump into its proper storage location. The pump had been been outside the station since December.
On Tuesday, American astronaut Reid Wiseman and German Mr Gerst (pictured)worked together to move a broken pump into its proper storage location. During the six-hour, 13-minute spacewalk, Mr Gerst and Mr Wiseman worked outside the space station's Quest airlock
US-based spacewalks were curtailed in July 2013 after Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano nearly drowned because of a flooded helmet. Nasa solved the problem with the suit's water-cooling system, but then concern arose over the spacesuit batteries. Here, astronaut Reid Wiseman grapples with a cord outside the ISS
During the three-hour, 13-minute spacewalk, Mr Gerst and Mr Wiseman worked outside the space station's Quest airlock.
They relocated the failed cooling pump to external stowage before installing gear that provides back-up power to external robotics equipment.
The 780lb (350kg) pump on the move was about the size of a double-door refrigerator.
This is another angle of Alexander Gerst taking a selfie. The camera is in front of him and below you can see the swirling clouds over Earth below
This was the first spacewalk ever for Mr Wiseman and Mr Gerst, and the former's exuberance was evident as he emerged from the hatch into the vast darkness over the Pacific (pictured). 'Wow, looks like we've almost got a full moon out here. It's beautiful,' he said
It ended up in temporary storage during urgent spacewalking repairs to the station's ammonia-cooling system last December.
Nasa did not want to waste time back then putting the pump in the correct long-term location, given all the spacesuit worries.
This was the first spacewalk ever for Mr Wiseman and Mr Gerst, and the former's exuberance was evident as he emerged from the hatch into the vast darkness over the Pacific.
'Wow, looks like we've almost got a full moon out here. It's beautiful,' he said.
When the glow of sunrise started to appear several minutes later, he shared his excitement again with Mission Control.
A follow-up spacewalk is scheduled for 15 October to further whittle down Nasa's lengthy to-do list, on hold since the 2013 incident.
That spacewalk will be conducted by Mr Wiseman and fellow American Butch Wilmore, a newcomer.
A week after that, two of the three Russians on board will perform a spacewalk on their country's side of the orbiting outpost.
The Moscow-led spacewalks were unaffected by Nasa's spacesuit troubles.
The helmets used by Mr Wiseman and Mr Gerst (pictured) for Tuesday's spacewalk contained absorbent pads and makeshift snorkels in case of water leakage
In July 2013, Nasa was forced to dramatically abandon a spacewalk on the ISS after a dangerous water leak in an astronaut's helmet drenched his eyes, nose and mouth.
Italy's first spacewalker, Luca Parmitano, endured the terrifying experience when his drink bag tipped half a liter of floating liquid around his face.
Parmitano could not speak or hear his radio due to the water, and he got wedged outside the craft before being helped in by fellow astronauts.
A follow-up spacewalk is scheduled for 15 October to further whittle down Nasa's lengthy to-do list, on hold since the 2013 incident. Here, Alexander Gerst tests his spacesuit on the ISS in preparation for the walk
The pump could not be moved until now owing to spacesuit troubles. In July last year, Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano almost drowned when his helmet filled with water following a coolant fault. And later a battery malfunction left astronauts unable to go out the station. Pictured is a still image from the current spacewalk
Engineers at Nasa's mission control centre in Houston took the two astronauts through the spacewalk. Mr Wiseman and Mr Gerst moved a refrigerator-sized pump (pictured) left outside the station in December
The leak was so bad that Parmitano asked his spacewalking partner, American Christopher Cassidy, to help him back in. 'It's a lot of water,' the Italian said once he was back in the air lock of the station.
He later recalled that he thought he was going to drown during the ordeal.
The helmets used by Mr Wiseman and Mr Gerst for Tuesday's spacewalk contained absorbent pads and makeshift snorkels in case of water leakage.
As for the spacesuit batteries, Nasa sent up replacements on the latest SpaceX cargo ship and Russian Soyuz capsule.
Ground testing uncovered a potential fuse problem earlier this year, and Nasa opted to switch out the batteries on board.
NOW YOU CAN PRINT A SPACE OBSERVATORY
The Ultrascope (pictured) uses the 41 megapixel camera in the Lumia 1020 smartphone to capture professional-grade images of space
Inventor James Parr has created the first 3D printed automatic robotic observatory.
The Ultrascope uses the 41 megapixel camera in the Lumia 1020 smartphone to capture professional-grade images of space for far less money than traditional telescopes.
Once 3D printed, laser cut and assembled at home, the Ultrascope stands 1m tall when pointed vertically and 65cm at the base.
'We're inspired that we live in an era where consumer technology now allows us to do things that were only exclusively available to professionals just a few years ago,' said Mr Parr, who founded the Open Space Agency (OSA) collective.
'Keen amateur astronomers can now download this design and software, 3D print and assemble their own hardware, which is an amazing development. It opens up opportunities for people who have been gazing at the stars their whole lives, but haven't, until now, been able to get involved.
'Powered by Lumia smartphones, our hope is that hundreds of Ultrascopes will be assembled, enabling a large number of people to contribute to new discoveries as they explore the night sky.'
The Ultrascope is currently in Beta testing and 3D plans will be downloadable from the OSA website. Over the next 12-18 months increasingly sophisticated models will be released, enabling enthusiasts to peer ever deeper into the stars.
The Microsoft Lumia Design team is currently working on an application which will enable the Lumia to be connected with the telescope.
The pump could not be moved until this week owing to spacesuit troubles. In July last year, Italian astronaut Luca Parmitano almost drowned when his helmet filled with water following a coolant fault. Here, a screenshot shows one of the astronaut's gloves
The ISS (shown) has a total mass of about 990,000 pounds (450,000 kilograms) and has liveable space roughly equivalent to a five-bedroom house. It completes an orbit of Earth every 92.91 minutes and moves at 17,100 miles (27,600 kilometres) per hour
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