Spacewalk of the Sergeys: Two Russian cosmonauts make repairs and equipment changes to ISS

by David Todd | Nov 19, 2020 | International Space Station, NASA, Russia, Seradata News

Russian Cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchcov – the two Sergeys – made an Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) – more commonly known as a spacewalk, from the airlock on the Poisk module on the International Space Station on 18 November 2020. This was the first ever use of the Poisk module for a spacewalk egress in 11 years since it was first fitted to the ISS. More normally the soon-to-be-retired Pirs module airlock is used, and thus, with its removal the Poisk module airlock will be used in future. The EVA lasted over five hours and involved a series of replacement and repair tasks. However, initially the Poisk module was checked via a depressurisation, an initial hatch opening at 1512 GMT, hatch closing at 1520 GMT, repressurisation, depressurisation and then a second hatch opening at 1555 GMT.

The “two Sergeys” on their spacewalk in November 2020. Courtesy: NASA TV

After this was achieved the spacewalkers fully emerged from the airlock, with Kud-Sverchov being first out. The first fix to be attempted was to replace a Zarya Flow regulator (No 1) but the container could not be opened and this was abandoned. The Cosmonauts then moved an antenna cable (from the Transit-B antenna) from the Pirs module to the Poisk module. An Imapkt sample plate used to monitor micrometeoroid impacts etc was replaced on the Zvezda module with the old one kept for analysis. The spacewalkers then used towels to “decontaminate” their space suits and the towels used were released into space.

The cosmonauts re-entered the ISS Poisk airlock and the hatch was closed at 2159 GMT. The Russian space agency/conglomerate uses the first hatch opening and the final hatch shutting as its timing length for the spacewalk duration at 6 hours 47 minutes.

Work and timing details from Jonathan McDowell.

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