Two Russian cosmonauts, Sergei Prokopiev and Dmitry Petelin, completed a spacewalk that lasted seven hours and eleven minutes before returning to the International Space Station. The announcement came from Roscosmos, the Russian state space corporation, via its telegraph channel. The event marked another milestone in the ongoing cooperative mission aboard the station, where international crews work side by side in the vacuum of space.
Roscosmos officials detailed that the duo spent the excursion outside the confines of the ISS to prepare the airlock for a transfer from the Rassvet module to the Nauka laboratory. They observed the airlock as it moved with the ERA robotic arm and performed a docking sequence with the Science module. In addition to these tasks, they completed the essential electrical connections between the airlock and the Nauka module, ensuring power and data lines were properly routed to support ongoing operations and future experiments.
The spacewalk also represented Prokopiev and Petelin’s third time venturing into the vacuum outside the station. Each outing contributes to a broader set of maintenance and configuration activities that keep the ISS fully functional and ready to support scientific investigations from multiple nations. The crew members communicated with mission control to confirm instruments were functioning correctly and to coordinate timing for the next planned tasks, which are integral to long term station capabilities.
Earlier in the mission cycle, the crew was expected to spend approximately six hours and twenty two minutes outside, as reported by Roscosmos. The extended duration of seven hours and eleven minutes reflected the successful completion of the planned tasks and a few additional checks and adjustments that ensured the airlock system could operate reliably during the transfer sequence and future EVA activities. The update underscores the ongoing careful planning required for spacewalks that involve moving large hardware components and connecting critical systems in a challenging orbital environment.
As with prior spacewalks, mission officials emphasized the importance of meticulous planning, real-time problem solving, and teamwork among the crew and ground controllers. The successful execution of these operations not only advances the station’s infrastructure but also supports broader research objectives conducted aboard the ISS. With each EVA, the crew gains practical experience that informs future maintenance maneuvers and expands the station’s long term operational envelope. The current activity is part of a continuous effort to enhance the station’s scientific capacity and ensure safe, sustainable operations for the international crew on board, as noted in the latest Roscosmos communications and updates.