Two cosmonauts conduct seven-hour spacewalk at the ISS to prepare for Russian module

Two Russian cosmonauts ventured for more than seven hours outside the International Space Station to prepare for the arrival of a new Russian module. It was the first spacewalk for both Oleg Novitsky and Pyotr Dubrov, who arrived at the space station in April, and it lasted 7 hours and 19 minutes. It was broadcast live by NASA. The two focused on getting the space station ready for the undocking and disposal of the Pirs docking compartment, which is set to be replaced next month by the new Nauka (Science) multipurpose laboratory module. [caption id=“attachment_9679961” align=“alignnone” width=“1280”] In this image taken from Roscosmos video, Russian cosmonauts Oleg Novitsky, left, and Pyotr Dubrov, members of the crew to the International Space Station (ISS), perform their first spacewalk on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, to replace old batteries outside the International Space Station. Two Russian members of the International Space Station crew are conducting a spacewalk. Image credit: Roscosmos via AP[/caption] They disconnected an antenna and other equipment from the Pirs and stowed them on the outside of the station for future use in preparation for the module’s disposal. Novitsky and Dubrov also replaced a fluid flow regulator and two sets of biological and material science samples on the exterior of the Russian modules.

The spacewalkers jettisoned an airtight container behind the station today where it will orbit Earth until it reenters the atmosphere and burns up. #AskNASA | https://t.co/yuOTrYN8CV pic.twitter.com/We0FhjesG7

— International Space Station (@Space_Station) June 2, 2021

Spacewalkers Oleg Novitskiy and Pyotr Dubrov are nearing five hours into today's spacewalk having replaced a fluid flow regulator, moved a Russian crane and disconnected Pirs airlock cables. #AskNASA | https://t.co/yuOTrYN8CV pic.twitter.com/WQNH6a6RvV

— International Space Station (@Space_Station) June 2, 2021

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The two Russians currently team up at the space outpost with NASA astronauts Mark Vande Hei, Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur; Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide; and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet. The launch of the Russian Nauka lab module has been continuously pushed back over technical issues. Russian space officials have said it will finally be launched in July.