Watch Live: NASA Astronauts Start Spacewalk

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In this photo released by NASA, astronaut Steve Swanson works on the international space station, Saturday March 21, 2009.

Image: NASA/Associated Press

By Brian Ries2014-04-23 14:26:29 UTC

NASA astronauts Steve Swanson and Rick Mastracchio have started a 2.5-hour spacewalk on Wednesday to install a spare backup computer aboard the International Space Station.

The spacewalk started just before 10 a.m. ET when the crew switched their suits to battery power, signaling the start of the operation.

See also: 20 Epic Space Photos From Astronaut Chris Hadfield

The astronauts will be replacing a backup computer known as a Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MDM), which failed on April 11. It "provides telemetry and commands to truss systems, solar alpha rotary joints and the Mobile Transporter rail car which rides along the truss structure," according to NASA, and both of the computers have been at the International Space Station for more than 10 years.

Watch the spacewalk live on Mashable below, courtesy of NASA TV:

Live streaming video by Ustream

Topics: NASA, Space, US & World