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Russian cosmonauts embark on spacewalk to integrate ERA robotic arm

Oleg Artemyev will conduct the fifth spacewalk in his career as a cosmonaut

International Space Station Roscosmos Press Office/TASS

International Space Station

© Roscosmos Press Office/TASS

ISS, April 28. /TASS/. Roscosmos cosmonauts Oleg Artemeyev, who is also a TASS special reporter in orbit, and Denis Matveyev opened the exit hatch of the Poisk module aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to embark on their second spacewalk in their current space mission to prepare the ERA robotic arm for operation, according to a live broadcast on the Roscosmos website.

The Russian crew members will need to secure the exit hatch cover and install a protection ring. Matveyev will be the first to embark on the spacewalk to be followed by Artemyev.

The hatch opening was initially scheduled for 17:25 Moscow time. The Russian cosmonauts’ extravehicular activity is expected to last 6 hours and 43 minutes. Artemyev, who will conduct the fifth spacewalk in his career as a cosmonaut, will be working in Orlan-ISS spacesuit No. 5 with red stripes while Matveyev will conduct extravehicular activity for the second time, wearing the spacesuit with blue stripes.

Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Korsakov will provide his teammates support from inside the orbital outpost, operating the ERA (European Robotic Arm) manipulator.

Overall, during the current space mission of cosmonauts Artemeyev, Matveyev and Korsakov, seven spacewalks are planned. Cosmonaut Artemyev will conduct one of the spacewalks with Italy’s Samantha Cristoforetti and the rest with Matveyev. While no extravehicular activity is planned for Korsakov, he is ready for this work. He was also trained to operate the ERA manipulator.

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