Watch two Russian cosmonauts take a spacewalk outside the International Space Station today

News
By
published

They're going to get a new docking module ready for spacecraft.

Two Russian cosmonauts are planning to take a spacewalk today (Jan. 19) to ready a new International Space Station module for visiting spacecraft, and you can watch it live.

Expedition 66 Cmdr. Anton Shkaplerov and flight engineer Pyotr Dubrov, both of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, will spend the day working together outside the International Space Station. Coverage will start at 6 a.m EST (1130 GMT) and will air live on NASA Television, the NASA app, NASA social media and here at Space.com.

The agency did not disclose detailed timing for the extravehicular activity (EVA), but typically spacewalks start around 7:30 a.m. EST (1230 GMT) and last for six or seven hours. 

Related: Houston, you are go for a spacewalk: 'The Infinite' launches VR space station tours

Russian cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov is pictured during a spacewalk on Sept. 3, 2021. (Image credit: NASA/Roscosmos)

The focus of this spacewalk's activities will be the Prichal module, which arrived at the space station Nov. 26 without incident. Prichal and the science module Nauka represent two major upgrades to Russian space facilities in orbit in the past few months. Prichal features six new ports for the station's Russian segment; one permanently docks it to Nauka, while the other five are free for visiting ships.

During the spacewalk, you can spot Shkaplerov in a Russian Orlan spacesuit with red stripes, distinguishing him as the lead spacewalker. Dubrov's spacesuit will have blue stripes. 

The duo hopes to add handrails, antennas, a television camera and docking targets to Prichal, allowing the docking module to accept its first visiting spacecraft in March. The first spacecraft then will be a Russian Soyuz, crewed with three people as a part of the larger Expedition 67.

NASA says this spacewalk is the 246th in support of ISS assembly, maintenance and upgrades. This will be the third career spacewalk for Shkaplerov's career and the fourth for Dubrov. It is also the first ISS spacewalk in 2022.

Follow Elizabeth Howell on Twitter @howellspace. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Elizabeth Howell
Elizabeth Howell
Staff Writer, Spaceflight

Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace