Russian, US astronauts start spacewalk

MOSCOW, Feb 22 (Reuters) Two astronauts aboard the International Space Station began a spacewalk from its Russian segment today to affix a transmitter cable to a telescope and free a stuck antenna on a cargo vessel.

Commander Michael Lopez-Alegria and station flight engineer Mikhail Tyurin opened the station's hatch at 1327 Moscow time 1557 IST, about half an hour later than planned, according to a live broadcast of the spacewalk on NASA's Web site (www.nasa.gov).

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 Tyurin's spacesuit.

''It's not a simple operation, although it seems simple from the Earth. But up there, in gloves and spacesuits, it's an arduous task,'' 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.

REUTERS BDP PM1745