Two Russian cosmonauts, Nikolai Chub and Oleg Kononenko, began a planned spacewalk, streamed on the RoskosmosTV YouTube channel. The EVA centers on addressing a faulty radiator circuit where a leak occurred on October 9, with the crew also aiming to deploy the Parus-MGTU student satellite and install a radar for a new science experiment.
The mission plan from the state space agency specifies a total duration of six hours and fifty-two minutes for the excursion. The entry gate of the Small Research Module Poisk opened at 20:49 Moscow time, signaling the start of the exterior operations and the safety checks that accompany every spacewalk of this scale.
Should time permit after the primary objectives are accomplished, Kononenko and Chub are prepared to replace several fixing panels in the Zvezda service module, a task that would help stabilize the station’s thermal control and structural integrity during future operations.
This spacewalk marks the sixth Russian EVA conducted this year and the first for the current mission team of Kononenko and Chub, who arrived at the International Space Station on September 15 of this year. The two astronauts have a combined record that includes Chub’s first ever excursion outside the ISS and Kononenko’s sixth, reflecting a broad repertoire of experience in maintaining and upgrading the orbiting laboratory.
Historically, crew members preparing for such outings have emphasized the critical nature of exterior maintenance. These activities not only extend the life of station systems but also enable a broader spectrum of scientific investigations conducted aboard the ISS, from materials science to Earth observation techniques.
Officials highlighted the ongoing emphasis on safety, technical readiness, and precise coordination with mission control as essential elements of today’s operations. The crew undergoes extensive pre-EVA checks, suit harnessing, and tethering procedures to ensure resilience against the harsh environment of space, where every minute of activity matters for both crew safety and mission success.
As the mission unfolds, observers note the collaboration between crew members and ground teams, reflecting the highly integrated workflow that characterizes modern spaceflight. The successful execution of each task—radiator repair, satellite deployment, radar installation, and potential panel replacements—depends on meticulous planning, clear communication, and real-time problem solving under the watchful eyes of mission controllers around the world.