Russian cosmonauts perform spacewalk with European robotic arm

MOSCOW. Sept 2 (Interfax) - The cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Denis Matveyev have begun a spacewalk to integrate the European Robotic Arm (ERA) into the Russian segment of the International Space Station (ISS).

"The Poisk module hatch is open," Roscosmos said.

The spacewalk duration is expected to be 6 hours, 18 minutes.

Artemyev and Matveyev are to install a platform with adapters on the outer surface of the Nauka module, transfer the EVA Man-Machine Interface (EMMI) to the BTL-3 base flight point and connect it.

The cosmonauts will also test-run the ERA using the EMMI, install a blocker on the GStM-1 cargo boom and throw off the ISS the thrust rings dismantled from the ERA, Roscosmos said.

This is the eighth spacewalk for Artemyev and the fourth for Matveyev. The former is wearing an Orlan-MKS 5 spacesuit with red stripes; the latter, an Orlan-MKS 4 with blue stripes.