Two Russian cosmonauts recently completed a successful spacewalk at the International Space Station (ISS).
It was conducted by Oleg Artemyev and Denis Matveev and lasted 7 hours and 47 minutes.
Friday’s extravehicular activity — the eighth at the station this year — came almost three weeks after the pair were forced to cut short another walk when Artemyev’s spacesuit suffered a drop in battery voltage.
Fortunately, no such issues emerged during the latest outing and, according to a NASA report, Artemyev and Matveev were able to complete everything they set out to do during their time outside the space station.
This included moving from one operating area to another an external control panel linked to the recently installed European Robotic Arm. The cosmonauts also tested a rigidizing mechanism on the arm that will be used to help with grasping payloads.
Artemyev, who was on his eighth spacewalk, and Matveev, who was on his fourth, also carried out work to extend a Strela telescoping boom from the station’s Zarya module to the Poisk module.
The spacewalk was livestreamed on NASA’s YouTube channel and included an audio commentary so the audience could fully understand everything the cosmonauts were doing.
NASA also tweeted a series of videos from the walk, including this one showing a dramatic view of Earth some 250 miles below.
The spacewalkers have completed their first objective to remove protective covers on the multipurpose lab module and install a platform with adapters. They are now making their way to the second worksite. pic.twitter.com/JhTcNT81y6
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) September 2, 2022
Another clip clearly shows Artemyev and Matveev at work, with the European Robotic Arm also prominent within the frame.
Spacewalkers Artemyev and Matveev are seen here outside the Nauka module with the European robotic arm as they work to install the arm’s control panel and power it up. pic.twitter.com/5oLbblrcSi
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) September 2, 2022
This next video shows the Russian duo working on extending the Strela cargo crane from the Zarya module to the Poisk module.
The cosmonaut spacewalkers are ahead of the timeline and have completed most of their tasks today. The duo is now extending the Strela cargo crane from the Zarya module to Poisk module. https://t.co/yuOTrYN8CV pic.twitter.com/FJX4pe5CT8
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) September 2, 2022
Although the cosmonauts will have spent most of their time deep in concentration as they carried out the necessary work, they will also have taken the time to marvel at the changing views of Earth as the ISS orbits at 17,600 mph. Such speed means ISS inhabitants experience 16 sunrises and sunsets every 24 hours, and judging by this beautiful image, the events are something to savor.
