Page "Salizhan Sharipov" Paragraph 14

Sharipov conducted his first career spacewalk on 26 January 2005.

He and NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao ventured outside of the ISS at 7: 43 GMT from the Pirs airlock.

The spacewalk was conducted in Russian Orlan spacesuits with red stripes.

The two spacewalkers worked swiftly to complete their spacewalk goals that included the installation of a new work platform and test robot outside the Zvezda module.

Sharipov and Chiao also relocated a Japanese space environment exposure experiment called MPAC SEEDS and plugged in an antenna for the robot test bed.

They also studied ISS vents used by the station's Elektron oxygen generator and other life support systems.

During the spacewalk, the space station's stabilizing gyroscopes repeatedly became overloaded with a mysterious torque, and they had to be relieved periodically by firing rocket thrusters located on the Russian half of the ISS.

On at least one occasion these thrusters were appeared to have been activated when the Sharipov and Chiao were working dangerously close to them.

The spacewalk lasted 5 hours and 28 minutes.