MOSCOW, March 24. /TASS/. Russian cosmonauts of the upcoming expedition will carry out about 10 spacewalks from the ISS, Soyuz MS-18 spacecraft commander Oleg Novitsky told TASS Wednesday.

"We have a vast program of outside activity - 10 spacewalks. I will be lucky enough to participate in three," he said.

Cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov added that he will carry out up to seven spacewalks, "if everything goes according to plan."

Earlier, Russian ISS segment mission commander Vladimir Solovyov said in an interview that the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module will be launched into orbit in summer 2021. Up to 7 or 8 spacewalks will be required to integrate the new module with the space station.

The Soyuz MS-18 is scheduled for launch from the Baikonur Cosmodrome on April 9. The mission is scheduled to last for 191 days.