Russian cosmonaut, US astronaut begin space walk for ISS

A Russian cosmonaut and a US astronaut from the International Space Station began a space walk to instal a gadget aimed at measuring electromagnetic fields around the ISS.

A Russian cosmonaut and a US astronaut from the International Space Station began a space walk on Tuesday to instal a gadget aimed at measuring electromagnetic fields around the ISS, Russian news agency RIA-Novosti reported.

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It was the first space walk for Yuri Lonchakov and Michael Fincke, who arrived on the station in October aboard a Russian Soyuz rocket.

During the six hour and 10 minute walk the pair were due to instal a special gadget on the docking door of the ISS to measure electromagnetic fields around it.

Experts said the influence of such fields could have been a reason for rough landings by previous crews who had returned to Earth on Soyuz craft in April 2008 and October 2007, the agency said.