Photos: Space Station Crew Takes 1st Spacewalk of 2012

Expedition 30 Cosmonauts Perform Spacewalk

NASA

This image of Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Anton Shkaplerov, both Expedition 30 flight engineers, was taken during a spacewalk on Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012. During the six-hour, 15-minute spacewalk, Kononenko and Shkaplerov moved the Strela-1 crane from the Pirs Docking Compartment in preparation for replacing it in 2012 with a new laboratory and docking module. The duo used another boom, the Strela-2, to move the hand-operated crane to the Poisk module for future assembly and maintenance work.

Russian Cosmonauts Take Spacewalk: Feb. 16, 2012

NASA TV

Flight Engineers Oleg Kononenko and Anton Shkaplerov work with a Strela crane during a Feb. 16, 2012 spacewalk outside the International Space Station.

Russian Cosmonauts Take Spacewalk: Feb. 16, 2012

NASA TV

Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov (right) rides the Strela crane outside the International Space Station during a 6-hour, 15-minute spacewalk with crewmate Oleg Kononenko on Feb. 16, 2012. The cosmonauts moved the Strela crane to a different spot on the station.

Expedition 30 Spacewalk Animation

NASA TV

This still from a NASA animation shows how Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Anton Shkaplerov will use one crane to move another outside the International Space Station during a Feb. 16, 2012 spacewalk.

Me & My Spacesuit

NASA

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, Expedition 30 flight engineer, poses for a photo with a Russian Orlan spacesuit in the Pirs docking module after a spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Feb. 16, 2012. Kononenko is wearing a blue thermal undergarment that complements the Orlan spacesuit.

Cosmonaut Spacewalker: Feb. 16, 2012

NASA

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, Expedition 30 flight engineer, is seen wearing a bulky Orlan spacesuit during in a spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Feb. 16, 2012. Kononenko and cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov (out of frame) spent more than 6 hours preparing the station's Pirs docking module to be replaced by a new module in 2013.

Russian Cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov During a Spacewalk

NASA

Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, Expedition 30 flight engineer, participates in a session of extravehicular activity (EVA) to continue outfitting the International Space Station. Image released feb. 16, 2012.

Kononenko Spacewalk Outside the ISS

NASA

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, Expedition 30 flight engineer, participates in a session of extravehicular activity (EVA) to continue outfitting the International Space Station, August 16, 2012.

Kononenko Spacewalk Outside the ISS

NASA

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko, Expedition 30 flight engineer, participates in a session of extravehicular activity (EVA) to continue outfitting the International Space Station, August 16, 2012.

Shkaplerov Spacewalk Outside ISS

NASA

Russian cosmonaut Anton Shkaplerov, Expedition 30 flight engineer, participates in a session of extravehicular activity (EVA) to continue outfitting the International Space Station, August 16, 2012..

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

Space.com Staff
News and editorial team

Space.com is the premier source of space exploration, innovation and astronomy news, chronicling (and celebrating) humanity's ongoing expansion across the final frontier. Originally founded in 1999, Space.com is, and always has been, the passion of writers and editors who are space fans and also trained journalists. Our current news team consists of Editor-in-Chief Tariq Malik; Editor Hanneke Weitering, Senior Space Writer Mike Wall; Senior Writer Meghan Bartels; Senior Writer Chelsea Gohd, Senior Writer Tereza Pultarova and Staff Writer Alexander Cox, focusing on e-commerce. Senior Producer Steve Spaleta oversees our space videos, with Diana Whitcroft as our Social Media Editor.