Two Russian astronauts set the record for the longest spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS) which lasted over 8 hours. However, the epic achievement could not remain flawless as the cosmonauts left a critical antenna facing the wrong way.

THE LONGEST SPACEWALK OUTSIDE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

On Friday, two Russian astronauts, Alexander Misurkin and Anton Shkaplerov ventured out of the International Space Station to replace an old electronic box to upgrade a communication antenna used to contact with Russia’s Mission Control.

The record-setting spacewalk lasted for 8 hours and 13 minutes thus overtaking the previous record by six minutes.

Unfortunately, the pair set the antenna in the wrong position, 180 degrees out from its designated site. However, the antenna was still working saving the hard work of these two astronauts in the space.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OLD ELECTRONIC BOX?

As reported by NASA, “During the record-breaking spacewalk, the duo installed a new electronics and telemetry box for the high gain antenna on the Zvezda service module to enhance communications between Russian flight controllers and the Russian modules.”

The electronic box that the two Russian astronauts replaced with the new one, was thrown away towards earth so that it won’t intersect with the space station. But do not worry about a chunk of metal falling on your head anytime soon as it will burn up upon entering the Earth’s atmosphere.

THE SPACEWALK BY RUSSIAN ASTRONAUTS

The term spacewalk is self-explanatory. Any time an astronaut spends outside of the vehicle in space is called a spacewalk.

Going for the definition; a spacewalk is a period of physical activity in space outside a spacecraft engaged in by an astronaut.

It is the 207th such spacewalk outside the ISS for the maintenance of the station.

As confirmed by the tweet of International Space Station, the two cosmonauts are no amateurs on the spacewalk.

“Cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin has three previous spacewalks from 2013 for 20 hours, 1 minute. Cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov has one previous spacewalk from 2012 for 6 hours, 15 minutes.”