Two ISS astronauts to hold dress rehearsal ahead of space walk

According to the sources, they will "check all systems of the space suits, their air-tightness and will train all operations on the way toward the lock chamber through which they will leave the station".

The dress rehearsal will begin at about 2 pm, Moscow time, and will continue 2.5 hours, during which the astronauts will test Russian space suits Orlan-MK in which they will spend about six hours during a space walk.

This will be the first space walk for Samokutyayev, while Volkov has already made two space walks continuing more than 12 hours all in all. However, this will be the first one in the Orlan-MK modification, as previously he made space walks in Orlan-M space suits.

Orlan-MK is the fifth modification of Orlan space suits, and the first Russian computerized suit, used in orbit since 2009. While being put on, it prompts the astronaut which systems and in which succession must be controlled before a space walk and reports on the condition of these systems.

In case of emergency situations (for example, an increased consumption of oxygen), information is shown on the indicator panel, the space suit gives a signal and prompts what to do.

In case an astronaut forgets something during a space walk, a special program will help him switch over to an easier regime of Orlan-M.

During the training session, the astronauts will put on 130-kilogram space suits and walk in them for half-an-hour. They will test communications systems and transfer of telemetric information on the state of health of the crew.