posted 10-22-2014 08:16 AM               

Spacewalkers to jettison gear, collect samples

Expedition 41 commander Max Suraev and flight engineer Alexander Samokutyaev of the Roscosmos will don Orlan spacesuits and exit the International Space Station's Pirs airlock on Wednesday (Oct. 22) for a planned six-hour spacewalk set to begin at 8:24 a.m. CDT (1324 GMT).

The spacewalkers will work outside the station's Russian segment to jettison science and communications gear no longer being used. They will also remove a protective cover from a biological exposure experiment, collect samples of particulate matter on the Pirs docking compartment and photograph the station's Russian exterior.

posted 10-22-2014 08:29 AM               

Russian EVA 40 gets underway

Max Suraev and Alexander Samokutyaev are now working outside the International Space Station.

The spacewalk officially began at 8:28 a.m. CDT (1328 GMT).

Suraev, designated as extravehicular (EV) crewmember 1, is wearing an Orlan suit bearing red stripes. Samokutyaev, as EV-2, is wearing a suit with blue stripes.

posted 10-22-2014 12:10 PM               

Cosmonauts conclude spacewalk outside station

International Space Station crewmates Max Suraev and Alexander Samokutyaev completed the third Expedition 41 spacewalk at 12:06 p.m. CDT (1750 GMT), 3 hours and 38 minutes after they began.

The two spacewalkers completed all the major objectives set out for the EVA.

This was the 184th spacewalk in support of space station assembly and maintenance, and the second career spacewalks for both Suraev and Samokutyaev.