In Photos: The Space Station Spacewalks of Expedition 56

Spacesuit Inside the Pirs Airlock

NASA

Astronauts and cosmonauts on the International Space Station performed a series of U.S. and Russian spacewalks in mid-2018 as part of the Expedition 56 mission. Check out amazing photos from those spacewalks here! This photo: In preparation for the Aug. 15, 2018 Russian spacewalk, a Russian Orlan spacesuit awaits its use inside the Pirs airlock. Cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Prokopyev will prep and begin the apacewalk from this location.

Pre-Spacewalk Prep

OlegMKS/Twitter

On Aug. 14, 2018, cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Prokopyev ready themselves for the upcoming spacewalk. During the EVA they plan to release four satellites, install antennas and cables for the Icarus animal-tracking experiment as well as collect completed science experiments from the outside of the ISS.

Walkabout the Space Station

ESA

During the schedule EVA, the cosmonaut duo will collect exposed microorganisms, install the system of animal-tracking equipment and release four mini-satellites.

Out Into Space

OlegMKS/Twitter

On Aug. 15, 2018, cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Prokopyev get ready for their spacewalk with the help of NASA's Serena Auñón-Chancellor.

Cosmic Selfie

OlegMKS/Twitter

Outside the ISS during his spacewalk with fellow cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev, Oleg Artemyev snapped this selfie.

Getting It Finished

OlegMKS/Twitter

During their spacewalk on Aug. 15, 2018, the two cosmonauts completed their missions, capturing this stunning image of Earth in the process.

Time Flies

OlegMKS/Twitter

While on the EVA on Aug. 15, 2018, cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Prokopyev spent 8 hours completing their tasks outside the ISS. In the distance the Open Space satellite moves into orbit.

Earth and the ISS

OlegMKS/Twitter

From outside the International Space Station, two of the crewmembers currently stationed in space — Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Prokopyev — install equipment, collect completed experiments and release satellites.

Head Down, Work Done

OlegMKS/Twitter

In eight quick hours, Russian cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Sergey Prokopyev completed all tasks assigned to them for the planned Aug. 15, 2018 spacewalk.

Nano Satellites Away

NASA

While safely tethered to the ISS outside the Pirs airlock, cosmonaut Sergey Prokopyev releases one of four nano satellites by hand

Time for Watching

NASA

To prepare for the Icarus animal-tracking experiment, Prokopyev lays cable on the Zvezda service module. The cable will connect antennas outside the ISS.

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Christine Lunsford
Producer and Contributing Writer

Christine Lunsford joined the Space.com team in 2010 as a freelance producer and later became a contributing writer, covering astrophotography images, astronomy photos and amazing space galleries and more. During her more than 10 years with Space.com, oversaw the site's monthly skywatching updates and produced overnight features and stories on the latest space discoveries. She enjoys learning about subjects of all kinds.