Astronauts launch six-hour spacewalk

The American astronaut and Russian cosmonaut are scheduled to stay outside the station for six hours.

The two men want to attach a transmission cable to a neutron telescope to relay data to Earth. An attempt to affix the cable during a spacewalk in November failed because of problems with Tyurin8217;s spacesuit.

8220;It8217;s not a simple operation, although it seems simple from the Earth. But up there, in gloves and spacesuits, it8217;s an arduous task,8221; said Russian mission control spokesman Valery Lyndin.

The astronauts also want to free a stuck antenna on the Progress cargo vessel to make sure it undocks smoothly. They will try either to fold the antenna or remove it.

Lopez-Alegria and Tyurin will replace some equipment and take photographs of the station for assessment back on Earth, Lyndin said.