Realtime coverage of Russian EVA-26
11/15/2010 04:29 PM Filed in: International Space Station | Space News
By WILLIAM HARWOOD
CBS News
02:00 p.m. EST Update: Russian spacewalk ends
Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Skripochka returned to the Pirs airlock module and closed the main hatch to officially end a six-hour 27-minute spacewalk.
The Expedition 25 cosmonauts attached a multi-purpose work station to the starboard side of the Zvezda command module, retrieved a Russian robotics experiment package and deployed a materials science experiment.
They also collected samples under insulation and from vents used by the Russian Elektron oxygen generator as part of an experiment to look for signs of microorganisms that might have managed to survive in the harsh space environment.
But Yurchikhin was unable to reposition a television camera on the MRM-2 module when he could not remove multi-layer insulation over the mounting point. With time running out, he was ordered to bring the camera back inside the space station.
"I have closed MLI," Yurchikhin reported through a translator. "You know, it needs to be ripped open all around."
"All right, Fyodor," a flight controller replied. "No joy, nobody's going to die because of that."
The spacewalk began at 9:55 a.m. EST (GMT-5), one minute later than earlier reported, and ended at 4:22 p.m.
This was the 15th station spacewalk this year, the fifth for Yurchikhin and the first for Skripochka. Total space station EVA time now stands at 950 hours and 51 minutes through 151 spacewalks over the past 12 years of assembly.
02:00 p.m. EST Update: Russian spacewalk moves into home stretch
Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Skripochka are taking a break before repositioning a television camera, the final planned task in today's spacewalk.
The cosmonauts are running ahead of schedule and have had no major problems installing a work platform, deploying a materials science experiment, retrieving a robotics package and carrying out a few other minor tasks.
10:10 a.m. EST Update: Russian EVA-26 begins
Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Skripochka opened the hatch of the Pirs airlock compartment at 9:54 a.m. EST (GMT-5) Monday, kicking off a planned six-hour spacewalk to perform a variety of maintenance chores on the Russian segment of the International Space Station.
For identification, Yurchikhin, call sign EV-1, is wearing a spacesuit with red stripes while Skripochka, EV-2, is using a suit with blue stripes. It is the fifth spacewalk for Yurchikhin and the first for Skripochka.
The primary goals of the excursion are to install a portable multi-purpose work station on the exterior of the Zvezda command module; to wipe down and remove the Russian "Robotik" science hardware; to install a materials science experiment on the MRM-2 module; and to relocate a television camera. The cosmonauts also will clean vents used by the Russian oxygen generator and collect samples for a biology experiment.
This is the 151st spacewalk devoted to space station assembly and maintenance since construction began in 1998, the 15th this year and the first for Expedition 25, the lab's current crew.
CBS News
02:00 p.m. EST Update: Russian spacewalk ends
 |
| Cosmonaut Fyodor Yurchikhin ran into problems Monday trying to reposition a television camera on the Russian segment of the space station. All other objectives were accomplished. (Photo: NASA TV) |
Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Skripochka returned to the Pirs airlock module and closed the main hatch to officially end a six-hour 27-minute spacewalk.
The Expedition 25 cosmonauts attached a multi-purpose work station to the starboard side of the Zvezda command module, retrieved a Russian robotics experiment package and deployed a materials science experiment.
They also collected samples under insulation and from vents used by the Russian Elektron oxygen generator as part of an experiment to look for signs of microorganisms that might have managed to survive in the harsh space environment.
But Yurchikhin was unable to reposition a television camera on the MRM-2 module when he could not remove multi-layer insulation over the mounting point. With time running out, he was ordered to bring the camera back inside the space station.
"I have closed MLI," Yurchikhin reported through a translator. "You know, it needs to be ripped open all around."
"All right, Fyodor," a flight controller replied. "No joy, nobody's going to die because of that."
The spacewalk began at 9:55 a.m. EST (GMT-5), one minute later than earlier reported, and ended at 4:22 p.m.
This was the 15th station spacewalk this year, the fifth for Yurchikhin and the first for Skripochka. Total space station EVA time now stands at 950 hours and 51 minutes through 151 spacewalks over the past 12 years of assembly.
02:00 p.m. EST Update: Russian spacewalk moves into home stretch
Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Skripochka are taking a break before repositioning a television camera, the final planned task in today's spacewalk.
The cosmonauts are running ahead of schedule and have had no major problems installing a work platform, deploying a materials science experiment, retrieving a robotics package and carrying out a few other minor tasks.
10:10 a.m. EST Update: Russian EVA-26 begins
 |
| Cosmonaut Oleg Skripochka floats outside the Pirs airlock module at the start of a planned six-hour spacewalk. (Photo: NASA TV) |
Cosmonauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Skripochka opened the hatch of the Pirs airlock compartment at 9:54 a.m. EST (GMT-5) Monday, kicking off a planned six-hour spacewalk to perform a variety of maintenance chores on the Russian segment of the International Space Station.
For identification, Yurchikhin, call sign EV-1, is wearing a spacesuit with red stripes while Skripochka, EV-2, is using a suit with blue stripes. It is the fifth spacewalk for Yurchikhin and the first for Skripochka.
The primary goals of the excursion are to install a portable multi-purpose work station on the exterior of the Zvezda command module; to wipe down and remove the Russian "Robotik" science hardware; to install a materials science experiment on the MRM-2 module; and to relocate a television camera. The cosmonauts also will clean vents used by the Russian oxygen generator and collect samples for a biology experiment.
This is the 151st spacewalk devoted to space station assembly and maintenance since construction began in 1998, the 15th this year and the first for Expedition 25, the lab's current crew.