Two cosmonauts work outside the space station to activate a radiator on the Nauka science module during a spacewalk on May 12, 2023. At top, is the European robotic arm attached to Nauka.
Two cosmonauts work outside the space station to activate a radiator on the Nauka science module during a spacewalk on May 12, 2023. At top, is the European robotic arm attached to Nauka.

Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner began a spacewalk at 10:36 a.m. EST to install an experiment package designed to monitor celestial x-ray sources and new electrical connector patch panels and remove several experiments for disposal. The two cosmonauts will also relocate a control panel for the European robotic arm, which is attached to the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module. Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexsandr Gorbunov will operate the arm during the spacewalk from inside the station.

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Ovchinin is wearing an Orlan spacesuit with red stripes, while Vagner is wearing the suit with blue stripes. This is the second spacewalk in Ovchinin’s career, and the first for Vagner. It is the 272nd spacewalk for space station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades.

Learn more about station activities by following the space station blog, @space_station and @ISS_Research on X, as well as the ISS Facebook and ISS Instagram accounts.

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