The Roscosmos press service has announced that cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev returned to the International Space Station docking area after a battery issue appeared in his spacesuit, during the fifth spacewalk by Russian cosmonauts this year. The mission control team in Moscow confirmed that Artemyev was brought back to the airlock and connected to the suit’s power supply to restore full functionality. The agency stressed that the situation is under their supervision and that the health of the astronaut remained stable throughout the procedure.
The spacewalk, which unfolded as astronauts worked remotely with the European space robotics arm ERA, lasted seven hours. During the EVA, all planned tasks were completed, and mission control provided continuous updates to assure onlookers that operations were proceeding safely. The crew continued to monitor suit systems, life support, and battery integrity to ensure there were no lingering concerns after the incident.
Roscosmos noted that future use of the ERA manipulator would be paused. The decision reflects broader discussions with the European Space Agency following variations in collaboration on joint projects such as the ExoMars program. While coordination with ESA faced changes, the agency reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining safe and productive space operations with all partner agencies involved in long-standing exploration efforts. The space agency also highlighted that ongoing mission readiness, crew safety, and equipment reliability remain the top priorities as engineers review the EVA procedures and hardware performance before resuming autonomous or partnered activities in low Earth orbit or beyond.
Observers and specialists have pointed to the critical role of suit power systems in spacewalk safety. In this instance, a battery anomaly did not threaten Artemyev’s health, and the quick response by ground teams demonstrated the robustness of standard EVA protocols. Analysts emphasized the importance of rapid power restoration, redundant systems, and rigorous testing of life-support subsystems to prevent similar issues in future operations. The event underscores how real-time telemetry and mission control vigilance help ensure crew safety even when unexpected malfunctions occur in the vacuum of space.
As the investigation continues, experts expect a thorough review of the affected battery components, protective housings, and power management interfaces. The workflow will likely include simulations, hardware inspections, and potential software recalibrations to improve reliability across future spacewalks. In the meantime, the international crew members on the station maintain a careful watch over all critical systems while continuing scientific experiments, communication links, and routine maintenance tasks that support long-duration missions and multinational cooperation in space initiatives.