Roscosmos announced that the next spacewalk by Russian cosmonauts Sergei Prokopiev and Dmitry Petelin is scheduled for May 12, following the progress reported by state agencies. Preparations for VKD-58, the planned EVA, were completed between May 5 and May 9 in accordance with the flight schedule of the Russian segment of the International Space Station, according to officials. The agency confirmed the timing and outlined the steps leading up to the outing, underscoring the careful coordination required for long-duration missions in orbit.
On May 4, Roscosmos coordinated activities with Sergei Prokopiev and Dmitry Petelin, culminating in a spacewalk that lasted more than seven hours. After completing their tasks outside the station, the crew members returned safely to the International Space Station, where they resumed on-orbit operations with the crew aboard. This EVA followed a pattern familiar to station crews, combining tasks that support research, maintenance, and the ongoing readiness of orbital infrastructure.
The two cosmonauts have now flown into space three times during these expeditions. Their mission included transferring an airlock component essential for experimental work to the Nauka module, a key piece of the station’s expanding scientific capability. This transfer enables expanded access for experiments and supports the integration of new hardware on the Russian segment. The operation illustrates the practical, stepwise approach used to upgrade station systems without interrupting ongoing research aboard the complex.
Each spacewalk reinforces the collaboration between the Russian segment and the broader International Space Station crew. The ongoing work with the Nauka module and associated airlock assemblies reflects a broader effort to diversify the station’s research environments, improve life support interfaces, and ensure that scientific experiments can proceed with minimal disruption. As the May timeline approaches, mission control and the crew maintain strict monitoring of orbital conditions, suit integrity, and the readiness of tools and hardware required for a successful EVA. The sequence of recent activities demonstrates a disciplined routine that supports long-term presence in low Earth orbit, enabling sustained experimentation and technology demonstrations in microgravity.
Cited reporting from Roscosmos confirms the planned May 12 EVA and highlights the importance of these missions for maintaining and expanding the capabilities of the space station. The agency’s updates emphasize safety, procedural rigor, and the manpower needed to conduct complex operations in space. The collaboration between the cosmonauts and the station crew continues to illustrate how international partners execute coordinated activities to advance space science and exploration.