Washington, D.C., USA – In a feat of celestial valor, two intrepid Russian cosmonauts, Commander Sergey Prokopyev and Flight Engineer Dmitry Petelin, representing Russia’s esteemed federal space corporation Roscosmos, ventured into the abyss of space on Thursday, June 22. Their daunting six-hour odyssey witnessed a meticulous exterior purification of the International Space Station (ISS), as they triumphantly discarded three superfluous artifacts, including a depleted scientific experiment.
At precisely 10:24 a.m. EDT (1424 GMT), Expedition 69’s valiant commander, Sergey Prokopyev, and his intrepid comrade, Dmitry Petelin, elegantly emerged from the ISS’s Poisk module, reports space.com . Their multifaceted spacewalk orchestrated not only the discarding of obsolete equipment but also the installation of an innovative stanchion to accommodate high-speed telemetry apparatus and the retrieval of a venerable micrometeoroid impact experiment that had gallantly served the station for several years.
Exemplifying unparalleled dexterity, Prokopyev and Petelin swiftly rerouted cables, skillfully disconnected a data relay unit, a telemetry transmitter, and the hardware employed in a completed seismic activity experiment. With resolute purpose, they ceremoniously discarded each of these antiquated relics into the vast cosmic expanse, ensuring their ethereal demise through incineration upon reentry into Earth’s mesmerizing atmosphere.
A solemn directive resonated from Mission Control Moscow, urging Prokopyev to bid adieu to one of the items: “Wave goodbye to it,” they urged. “Rest in peace.”
The Seismoprognoz experiment, a valiant scientific endeavor, had been firmly affixed to the Zvezda service module during the heroic Expedition 38 spacewalk on December 27, 2013, almost a decade ago. Following the communication units’ celestial departure, the Seismoprognoz met a similar fate, dispatched into the cosmic abyss to prevent any inadvertent rendezvous with the outpost.
The meticulously orchestrated jettisons extended to include the stanchions, aptly referred to as “monoblocks,” which had faithfully supported the equipment on the Zvezda module. This valiant sacrifice paved the way for the installation of innovative hardware, including a remarkable monoblock engineered to facilitate a novel high-speed data unit. Prokopyev and Petelin’s commendable efforts ensured the successful integration of this cutting-edge apparatus into the module.
Tonight's spacewalk with cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin is on standby as mission controllers assess flakes seen leaking from the Soyuz MS-22 crew ship. pic.twitter.com/jC5X1oaEDh
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) December 15, 2022
Undeterred by the vacuum of space, the audacious duo meticulously documented the condition of the plume deflectors situated at the aft end of the Zvezda service module. These vital structures serve to shield the station from the powerful propulsion of the module’s engines. The ensuing inspection, conducted almost 23 years after Zvezda’s awe-inspiring ascent atop a Russian Proton rocket in July 2000, revealed a disconcerting sight. Prokopyev remarked, “It looks like a tarnished skillet. One that could have produced delectable fries.”
Petelin, in response, wittily added, “Well, it appears to have evaded a thorough cleansing for an extended duration.”
The consummate cosmonauts further showcased their celestial prowess by capturing high-resolution imagery of the boom, which houses a high-data antenna affixed to the extremity of the Zvezda service module.
Having demonstrated their unwavering dedication, the dauntless duo maneuvered to the opposite side of the Zvezda module, resolutely pursuing the fulfillment of their tasks. They diligently cleansed one of the module’s windows, employing towels that were subsequently disposed of, and adroitly retrieved a final scientific experiment—an invaluable biological sample exposure package—located near the hatch leading to the Poisk airlock.
At precisely 4:48 p.m. EDT (2048 GMT), the awe-inspiring spacewalk concluded with Prokopyev and Petelin triumphantly returning to the Poisk module. Their unwavering determination prevailed throughout the entirety of their six-hour and twenty-four-minute foray into the abyss.
With the culmination of Thursday’s legendary spacewalk, Prokopyev has now accrued an astonishing tally of forty-eight hours and forty minutes across seven extravehicular activities (EVAs). Petelin, an esteemed collaborator, has successfully undertaken five spacewalks in tandem with Prokopyev, amassing a total duration of thirty-three hours and nine minutes.
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This extravehicular excursion marked the ninth of its kind this year and the awe-inspiring 266th dedicated to the assembly and maintenance of the International Space Station since its inception in 1998. The tenacity and unwavering spirit of these cosmonauts serve as a testament to the boundless human pursuit of knowledge and exploration.
As humanity traverses the uncharted realms of space, guided by the relentless pursuit of scientific advancement, these heroic cosmonauts have elevated the International Space Station’s legacy, ensuring its continued success as a symbol of human ingenuity amidst the cosmic vastness.
