Intro music.
On Tuesday, the crew of the International Space Station completed a spacewalk
to maintain the station's exterior experiments and prepare for the outpost's future.
Conducting the spacewalk were Station Commander Gennady Padalka and Science Officer Mike Finke.
The location for the day's spacewalk focused on the station's Zvezda Service Module.
The EVA began at 1:58 am Central Time as Padalka and Fincke exited the Pirs airlock connected to Zvezda.
Once outside, the two spacewalkers made there way to the aft end of the Service Module.
Their first task was to work on three containers holding material science experiments.
The experiments have been in operation for as long as 2 1/2 years in a test to determine how various materials endure exposure to space.
Afterwards, the pair changed out the vehicle's Kromka panels, which measure contaminants from the Service Module's thrusters.
Next, the spacewalkers shifted to installing a cluster of reflectors and antennas for use with the arrival of next year's Automated Transfer Vehicle.
With extra time remaining, the crew took the opportunity to inspect a rubber ring associated with the docking port of the Service Module.
Completing the spacewalk ahead of schedule, Padalka and Finke climbed back inside the station after only four hours and thirty minutes.