Russian cosmonauts turn cable guys in spacewalk

Fyodor Yurchikhin

Russian cosmonauts are taking a spacewalk to lay cable for a new lab that's due to arrive at the International Space Station in a few months.

Fyodor Yurchikhin (fee-YOH'-dur yur-CHEE'-kihn) and Aleksandr Misurkin (miz-UR'-kin) floated outside Friday. It's one month since their Italian crewmate almost drowned when leaking water flooded his helmet during a spacewalk.

Aleksandr Misurkin

Luca Parmitano's spacesuit was provided by NASA.

Friday's spacewalkers are wearing Russian-made suits that differ from the U.S. version.

NASA is still investigating last month's close call. The problem appears to be in the life-support backpack.

The Russian Space Agency (RSA) plans to launch a new science lab by year's end.

This is the third of six Russian spacewalks planned for this year. The next one is next week.