Russian cosmonaut Kondratyev ready for first spacewalk

 

Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratyev

Russian cosmonaut Dmitry Kondratyev, who will carry out his first spacewalk from the International Space Station on Friday, has described in his blog how a spacesuit used by cosmonauts during time outside the station works.

A spacesuit, he said, is a "small spaceship."

"Spacesuit systems provide a supply of oxygen and dispose of carbon monoxide, maintain a comfortable temperature for a cosmonaut and also provide a radio connection," Kondratyev wrote.

Kondratyev will be accompanied by another Russian cosmonaut, Oleg Skripochka, on his spacewalk on Friday, during which they will install radio equipment on the ISS's Russian segment and a TV camera on one of the Russian mini-research modules docked to the ISS.

"A space walk is a big and important event in an ISS space mission, that's why preparations for it are receive special attention on Earth," Kondratyev said in his blog.

The service life of the ISS, which has been in orbit for 10 years, ends in 2015 but participants of the project - Canada, the European Union, Japan, Russia and the United States - are currently discussing ways to extend its operation until 2020.

MOSCOW January 20 (RIA Novosti) 

o