Astronaut Jerry Ross is a veteran of 23 hours' spacewalking on four previous extravehicular activities, or EVAs.

Once Zarya and Unity are mated, Jerry Ross and Jim Newman will conduct three EVAs, or spacewalks, to connect power and data transmission cables between the node, PMAs and Zarya. One six-hour spacewalk will be carried out every other day with the first occurring the day after Zarya rendezvous and mating.

The first EVA will consist primarily of attaching umbilicals and connectors between the PMAs, Unity and Zarya. Ross and Newman will begin by setting up the payload bay and worksites for the three EVAs. A slidewire will be installed first for safety and to provide clearances while connecting umbilicals between PMA 1 and Unity. Eight umbilicals will be connected, four primary and four redundant. Jumper cables will then be installed on the Russian-American Converter Unit for Common Berthing Mechanism operations and data buss termination connectors will be installed. Following the umbilical connections between PMA 1, the node and Zarya, Ross and Newman will remove multiplexer-demultiplexer (MDM) thermal covers on PMA-1.

Command checks between Mission Control, Houston, and Mission Control, Moscow, will be conducted the next day while the crew pressurizes the Orbiter Docking System vestibule, completes leak checks and prepares the S-band early communications equipment for the second spacewalk. The ground control checks will include verifying command capability to Zarya from Houston via the control center outside of Moscow. PMA-1 will be pressurized via the Zarya and an initial leak check will be carried out and capture latches on the CBM will be engaged. While a trace contaminant filter is activated in the Zarya from Moscow, the Unity cabin fan will be activated from Houston.