Cosmonauts Go for Another Walk

Two Russian cosmonauts took a spacewalk Monday to hang science experiments--and a sign advertising Kodak--outside the international space station.

“Don’t rush it. Just take it easy,” Russian Mission Control cautioned as the men popped open the hatch 250 miles above Earth.

It was the second spacewalk in as many weeks for Mikhail Tyurin and Vladimir Dezhurov. On Oct. 8, they went out to attach a cargo crane and other equipment to the newest addition to the space station, a Russian docking compartment that doubles as an exit for spacewalkers.

This time, the cosmonauts ventured a little farther on the Russian side of the orbiting complex. When informed that they were the first spacewalkers at a particular spot, one of them joked: “You’re right; we cannot see any footprints here or handprints here.”

Tyurin and Dezhurov installed a Russian experiment to evaluate contamination from jet exhaust. Then, in a much more difficult job, they attached three suitcase-sized trays of experiments provided by the Japanese Space Agency.

The trays contain hundreds of scientific samples, including paint, metals, adhesives, film and silica aerogels, a type of ultralight foam.

Scientists want to see how the materials fare in the harsh environment of space and, in particular, how well they protect against space debris.

The science samples, worth an estimated $1 million, will be returned to Earth for analysis in one to three years, along with any tiny bits of embedded space junk.

Japanese researchers hope to study the fragments to see where they came from.

Before going back inside, the cosmonauts removed a placard depicting the Russian flag and replaced it with a sign for Eastman Kodak Co.

Both the flag and Kodak placards are made of materials that the Russians want to test for durability.

The 1-by-1 1/2-foot sign is red and yellow, with the Kodak logo and the words “Take Pictures. Further.”

In a deal announced last year, Kodak agreed to set up an Internet site to provide views of space station construction.

The Russian Space Agency promised to deliver and operate cameras in and outside its service module and to erect a sign showing the Kodak logo.

Russian space authorities are veteran pitchmen, having frequently launched commercial banners to the former Mir space station and commercial products to this space station, called Alpha.

Russia’s Mission Control near Moscow was in charge of the spacewalk. NASA flight controllers observed from Houston.