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Russian cosmonauts unfold radiator on Nauka science module during spacewalk

The ISS Russian crew conducted their two previous spacewalks on the morning of April 19 and overnight to May 4

MOSCOW, May 12. /TASS/. Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitry Petelin who is also a TASS special reporter in space have integrated a thermal regulation radiator of the Nauka science module during their extravehicular activity outside the International Space Station (ISS), according to a live broadcast on the Roscosmos website on Friday.

Prokopyev and Petelin released the radiator’s locks, unfolded its panels, and connect the radiator’s hydraulic lines to the Nauka science lab. While the heat carrier was filling the hydraulic circuits, the cosmonauts fixed two tethers on the ERA robotic arm. After that, they integrated the radiator’s circuits on the Nauka module.

It took the cosmonauts less time than planned to do this job and they are expected to be back aboard the ISS ahead of the schedule.

The ISS Russian crew members are conducting their third spacewalk this year to integrate the thermal regulation radiator with the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module. The spacewalk is the sixth for Prokopyev in his space career who is wearing Orlan-ISS spacesuit No. 5 with red stripes and the fourth for Petelin who is working in Orlan-ISS spacesuit No. 4 with blue stripes. The exit hatch of the Poisk module was opened at 6:47 p.m. Moscow time and the extravehicular activity is expected to last six hours and 18 minutes.

The ISS Russian crew conducted their two previous spacewalks on the morning of April 19 and overnight to May 4. During the former spacewalk, the cosmonauts moved and installed the radiator on the Nauka science module. During the latter spacewalk, the Russian crew installed an airlock on the Nauka research lab to enable the crew to conduct experiments without exiting the orbital outpost.

As Petelin said, after the radiator is deployed, the Nauka science module will be "practically ready for its functional work.".

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