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Russia wants to exit the ISS after 2024
Photo: NASA / dpa
A Russian cosmonaut has had to abort a spacewalk at the International Space Station (ISS) because of a problem with his space suit.
A battery in spaceman Oleg Artemyev's suit had discharged, Russian agencies reported, citing the flight control center near Moscow.
On orders from Earth, Artemyev returned to the ISS airlock and connected his suit to the power supply.
The Russian space agency Roskosmos said the situation was under control.
"He was not in any danger," said an expert from the US agency Nasa in the live broadcast of the field mission.
The second cosmonaut Denis Matveyev first helped his colleague to get into the lock, then he was ordered back to the ISS himself.
The astronauts got out of the station at around 3:53 p.m. CEST.
Their field work was actually planned for a period of almost seven hours.
Among other things, the cosmonauts should have installed two cameras.
Tensions on Earth, Cooperation in Space
Three Russians, two Americans, one American and one Italian are currently working on the ISS.
Several space agencies are also involved, including the US space agency Nasa, the European Esa and Roskosmos from Russia.
At an altitude of 400 kilometers, the astronauts and cosmonauts learned about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the rising tensions between Russia and the West.
Even if the war apparently did not affect relations on the ISS, Roskosmos wants to withdraw from the ISS after 2024.
Most recently, Russia presented plans for its own space station.
According to NASA, the cooperation should continue until at least 2028.
Traditionally, the US and Russia have maintained their space cooperation even in times of political tension.
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