Date: Tuesday, October 28, 2025
Participants: Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritskiy
The two Russian cosmonauts, part of the Expedition 73 crew, successfully completed a planned spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS) today, focusing primarily on the exterior of the newly added Nauka Multipurpose Laboratory Module.
Key Spacewalk Details
| Feature | Detail |
| Cosmonauts | Sergey Ryzhikov (Commander, in red stripes) and Alexey Zubritskiy (Flight Engineer, in blue stripes) |
| Start Time (approx.) | 10:20 a.m. EDT (1420 GMT) |
| Duration (expected) | Approximately six hours |
| Spacesuits | Russian Orlan-MKS suits |
| Purpose | Outfitting the Nauka module and maintenance of the Russian segment. |
| ISS Total EVA | The 277th spacewalk in the history of the ISS (since 1998). |
Primary Objectives of the Spacewalk
The mission was centered around continuing the integration and setup of the Nauka module, which docked with the ISS in 2021. The main tasks included:
Installation of Experiment Hardware: The cosmonauts installed new scientific equipment onto the exterior of the Nauka module. This hardware is intended to support various ongoing Russian microgravity research projects.
Relocation of European Robotic Arm (ERA) Control Panel: A critical task involved relocating a control panel for the European Robotic Arm (ERA). The ERA is a sophisticated 11.3-meter-long robotic arm attached to the Russian segment, and the control panel was moved from one external workstation to another to ensure optimal operation and access. Inside the station, cosmonaut Oleg Platonov was responsible for operating the ERA to assist his crewmates during the relocation task.
Inspections and Maintenance: Routine exterior inspections of the Russian segment were also conducted.
This spacewalk marks the third Extravehicular Activity (EVA) for Commander Sergey Ryzhikov and the second for Flight Engineer Alexey Zubritskiy, demonstrating their increasing familiarity with working in the vacuum of space.
Context: The Second Spacewalk in a Fortnight
This is the second spacewalk conducted by Ryzhikov and Zubritskiy in under two weeks. Just 12 days prior, on October 16, 2025, the duo performed a spacewalk (EVA 276) where they:
Installed the Ekran-M (Molecular Beam Epitaxy) semiconductor materials experiment on the Nauka module.
Removed a no-longer-needed high-definition television (HDTV) camera from the Zvezda service module and safely jettisoned it from the station.
Cleaned a window on the Zvezda service module.
These back-to-back excursions highlight a busy operational period for the Russian segment crew, focusing on maximizing the scientific and operational capabilities of the ISS.
Live Coverage and U.S. Government Shutdown Note
Despite an ongoing U.S. government shutdown impacting most NASA activities, the space agency provided live coverage of the spacewalk. ISS operations are deemed an "excepted mission activity," ensuring the continuous safety and maintenance of the international outpost. However, the live commentary was noted to be minimal due to the circumstances.
This latest spacewalk successfully advances the integration of the Nauka module and prepares the station for future research and operations, further cementing the ISS's status as a continuously inhabited, globe-spanning orbital laboratory.