While tensions are growing on Earth, the international space station continues to live its life in semi-autonomy. On board, Americans, Europeans and Russians help each other and work together, in singular harmony.

While Russian cosmonauts Oleg Artemyev and Denis Matveev were out for a routine EVA (spacewalk), things could have ended very badly. Indeed, the two Russian agents had to go into the vacuum of space to work near the station, on the European robotic arm.

This kind of mission is precise. In a vacuum, the slightest mistake is unforgivable and has dramatic consequences. As for the two Russians who were out this week, their outing was supposed to last around seven hours.

A mission aborted due to an electrical problem

But after just two, Oleg Artemyev’s battery started to have problems. It has indeed displayed very different levels of electrical voltage from one moment to another. Broadcast live by the NASA TV channel, this spacewalk could have ended very badly.

With such an oscillation of the electrical voltage within the suit, the main risk was that Oleg Artemyev would electrocute himself while working. As soon as the alarms sounded on the Moscow side, to signal the problem, the two cosmonauts were asked to leave the scene and reach the airlock as quickly as possible.

If the two cosmonauts did not really understand what was happening to them during this premature end to the exit, they followed the orders and quickly joined the airlock of the station. Once safe, they got a detailed account of what had just happened, and how lucky they had been.

A “harmless” event assures NASA

NASA has since communicated on the subject, ensuring that the two cosmonauts never put their lives “in danger” during this outing. According to the US space agency, the decision of the Roscomos control center was nevertheless the right one. In its press release, it recalls that the slightest concern seen on a combination must lead to the premature end of the mission.

These events are quite rare, but they are a reminder that extravehicular outings (EVA) are not without risk. In 2013, ESA had to react at the last minute when the helmet of Luca Parmitano, an Italian astronaut, was filling with water.