Roscosmos reported on its Telegram channel that two Russian cosmonauts, Oleg Artemiev and Denis Matveev, wrapped up their spacewalk ahead of the planned schedule. Mission Control made the call to return to the International Space Station, prioritizing safety and mission readiness. The official update stressed that both astronauts remained in good health as the ahead-of-time return was executed to address a developing issue and ensure the continuity of critical tasks upon their reentry.
According to the space agency, the work in progress would be carried forward during upcoming spacewalks, with the team tracking progress and health continuously as operations resumed. Artemiev, who has previously contributed as a special correspondent for TASS, faced an urgent situation during the EVA due to a problem with his spacesuit that required immediate attention and a controlled return to safety.
The mission control team communicated a clear safety directive: a very low battery voltage had been detected, and there was an urgent need to restore power. If the suit’s battery were to drain completely, it risked disabling not only the pump but also the cooling fan, which could compromise life-support components and the cosmonaut’s suit integrity during the outing.
After addressing the power concern, Artemiev re-entered the airlock and attached the suit power connections to a halyard system to secure life-support systems. The cosmonaut wore the red-striped Orlan-MKS No. 5 during this phase of the operation, reflecting standard practice for power management and contingency procedures during spacewalks.
Roscosmos later clarified that the root cause of the incident lay in an anomaly with the battery operation inside the spacesuit, a technical hiccup that was promptly contained by ground teams and spaceflight controllers. The incident did not threaten the astronaut’s health, and ongoing monitoring was established to keep the situation within safe limits as the EVA plan was adjusted accordingly.
Following Artemiev’s activities, Denis Matveev, donned in the blue-striped Orlan-MKS No. 4, proceeded to the airlock and prepared for subsequent steps under the watchful guidance of Mission Control. An expert at MCC advised calm and deliberate movement toward the airlock, coordinating tasks to manage the payload and ensure the safe transfer of materials within the station’s exterior work area.
Both cosmonauts exited through the Poisk module’s hatch, engaging in a non-vehicle activity protocol that forms part of Russia’s ongoing program to extend operational capabilities on the exterior of the ISS. Their assigned tasks included preparation to operate the ERA remotely controlled manipulator arm, which is connected to the Russian segment and interacts with international hardware as needed for station maintenance and research support.
To lighten the end-effector arm and simplify maneuvering, two television cameras and the separation of starting rings from the ERA end effectors had to be installed. In addition, the crew relocated the external console to optimize control interfaces and tested ERA’s control systems. If time permitted, they also replaced a frame housing safety glasses on one of the video cameras, a routine check to ensure long-duration visibility and reliability of the external visual feed.
All moments of the EVA were broadcast live from 16:20 Moscow time, giving viewers a rare, real-time glimpse into the challenges and precision required for spacewalking activities. The operation was initially planned to last around seven hours, but it concluded after nearly four hours, reflecting the ability of the crew and ground teams to make swift, safety-centered decisions in response to evolving conditions.
Reflecting on Russia’s spacewalking history, this mission marked the fifth EVA for Roscosmos cosmonauts in 2022, underscoring the ongoing emphasis on external maintenance and system verification beyond Earth’s atmosphere. The last off-vehicle activity occurred on the night of July 21-22, when Artemiev teamed with European Space Agency astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti. That mission exceeded seven hours and included notable tasks such as deploying nano-satellites, relocating adapter platforms from the Poisk module, and transporting them to Nauka. The ERA adapter was set to storage mode during that operation, highlighting the careful sequencing required for seamless integration of modular robotic systems on the station.