Dressed in large spacesuit, two Russian cosmonauts used the International Space Station’s Poisk docking compartment as air lock for the first time on Wednesday on a space road to begin preparing the nearly identical Pirs module for removal next year. The new laboratory module will be parked in its place later.
Expedition 64 Commanders Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov embarked on the eighth space journey this year at 10:12 am local time. The excursion, a first for both cosmonauts, came only two days later the arrival of four astronauts aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon commercial ferry.
For identification, Ryzhikov, call sign EV-1, wears a red striped spacesuit and uses a 20 helmet camera while Kud-Sverchkov, EV-2, wears a blue striped suit and 18 helmet camera.
Almost identical to Pirs, Poisk was launched almost exactly 11 years ago, on November 10, 2009, and was installed into the Zvezda module port two days later. It has been used as a docking port for the unmanned Progress cargo carrier and Soyuz crew ferries many times but never as an air lock.
NASA
Before venturing out, the cosmonaut spent about an hour ensuring that the never-before-used Poisk side hatches were securely opened and sealed with an airtight seal and that the hatch leading to the main body of the station was leak-free when its compartments were at or near vacuum.
Dressed in their Orlan spacesuit, Ryzhikov and Kud-Sverchkov partially lowered Poisk’s pressure for an initial leak check. NASA crewmate Kate Rubins conducted a similar test from within the Russian segment at the station.
The cosmonauts then took Poisk into a vacuum, opened a side door to the space for the first time in the module’s history and examined the seal for any sign of debris or foreign body damage. Spare sealing material was available if needed, but inspection found no signs of trouble.
They then closed the hatch and ran additional leak checks before reopening and floated outside just after 11 a.m. to begin the 232th space trip devoted to station assembly and maintenance, EVA’s eighth station so far this year.
The first is to replace the fluid flow regulator in Russia’s Zarya module, the station’s first component, which was launched 20 years ago on November 20.
The cosmonauts then plan to take the materials science space exposure palette from the Pirs module and disconnect the telemetry cables. The cable will be reconnected to Poisk, starting the process of ending the use of the Pirs as an air key.
After cleaning the windows of the Zvezda module, space explorers plan to reposition the rocket’s smoke impingement detectors and retrieve an experimental tray that helps engineers assess the impact of the micrometeoroids. Their last task was to photograph the exterior of the Russian segment.
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