Kotov and Suraev conducted the spacewalk which lasted five hours and 44 minutes. They outfitted the Poisk Mini-Research Module to prepare its docking port to receive vehicles in the future, the first of which will be the Soyuz TMA-16 currently docked to the aft end of the Zvezda service module, which is to be relocated on Jan. 21.Commander Jeff Williams and Suraev will undock the Soyuz TMA-16 then dock to Poisk about 25 minutes later. Poisk will also serve as an airlock from which to conduct Russian spacewalks.
Science activities continue onboard the International Space Station. Williams inspected the Fluids Integrated Rack inside the Destiny lab module and took digital photographs. Japanese astronaut Soichi Noguchi performed a routine check of the contents inside the Minus Eighty Degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS (MELFI). The MELFI provides a frozen storage compartment for biological samples.
The crew members also enjoyed a half day off and continued their daily exercise regimen. To provide countermeasures for the effects of long-duration missions in microgravity, all station residents exercise. Equipment such as treadmills, resistive exercise devices and cycle ergometers are used every day. The exercise data is stored on a medical computer then downloaded to specialists on the ground for study.
