International Space Station Commander Mike Fincke and Flight Engineer Yury Lonchakov are to install experiments and an electromagnetic energy probe during a spacewalk.
Also on the spacewalkers' task list is relocating an experiment that measures thruster exhaust plumes and taking photos. The spacewalk, in Russian Orlan spacesuits from the station's Pirs docking compartment, is expected to last a little over six hours.
Lonchakov, the lead spacewalker, is making his first spacewalk. He is wearing the blue-striped Orlan suit. Fincke, making his fifth spacewalk, is wearing the red-striped suit.
Lonchakov and Fincke will work together to install the electromagnetic energy measuring device, called a Langmuir probe, on Pirs. Measurements of electromagnetic energy could be helpful in the investigation of its effects on pyrotechnical separation bolts on Soyuz spacecraft. The bolts are suspects in the investigation of ballistic steeper than normal -- entries of the Expedition 15 and Expedition 16 Soyuz spacecraft.
Next the two will install the Expose-R experiment package on the Zvezda service module. It contains nine European Space Agency astrobiology experiments. Similar in some respects to the Russian Biorisk experiment, they are designed to expose biological samples to the harsh conditions of space. A companion experiment is mounted outside the Columbus module.
Lonchakov and Fincke then will install the experiment to measure exhaust plumes. Lonchakov will handle the actual installation on the service module while Fincke routes cables to the device and takes photos.
The spacewalkers will take photos after performing their jobs. They also will make a general photo survey of the Russian segment of the station.
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