A Russian cosmonaut had to abort a spacewalk on the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday due to a problem with his spacesuit. A battery in the suit of astronaut Oleg Artemyev was discharged. When the control center on Earth noticed voltage fluctuations, Artemyev gave an unequivocal order: “Drop everything and go back immediately!”, as can be heard in a video (see above).
Soon after, the cosmonaut returned to the ISS airlock and connected his suit to the power supply. The second cosmonaut, Denis Matveyev, who had been on the remote mission with Artemyev, first helped his colleague enter the lock, after which he himself was sent back to the ISS.
‘He was not in danger’
The Russian space agency Roskosmos said the situation was under control. “He was not in any danger,” an expert from the US agency NASA said in the live broadcast of the field mission. The incident caused a moment of shock, soon after Artemyev was in the mood to joke again. Returning to the airlock, he said, “I think we need solar panels on the Orlan so we can recharge during spacewalks.”
The astronauts left the station shortly before 4 p.m. CEST. Their field mission was supposed to last nearly seven hours, but was canceled after about two and a half hours due to a technical problem. Among other things, the cosmonauts had to install two cameras and test the robotic arm on the space station. Three Russians, two Americans, an American and an Italian are currently working on the ISS.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
