On February 2, 2018 cosmonauts Alexander Misurkin and Anton Shkaplerov successfully installed an instrument unit of a highly directional antenna on the exterior of the International space station (ISS), during an exit into space which lasted more than 8 hours. The new receiver module of broadband communication systems will significantly increase the bandwidth, transmission efficiency and measurement target information in real-time when using the satellite system MSRS "Loutch".
The module will allow almost round-the-clock carrying out sessions of broadband, communications with the Russuan segment of ISS , including periods when the station is outside the zones of radio visibility of the Russian ground tracking stations. The astronauts of the Russian segment will have the option to have various communications, including videoconferencing with the mission control Center and sharing large files with the Earth .
Today in the geostationary Earth orbit there are three of the spacecraft multifunctional space system relaying "Loutch" that enables in a test mode conducting sessions of transсeiving information in areas outside the zones of radio visibility of the Russian ground tracking stations. The combined use of ground and satellite control loops will allow the mission control Center (MCC) TsNIIMash of to increase efficiency and reliability of the management of groups of spacecrafts, manned flights and future of robotic spacecraft scientific and socio-economic purposes.
Alexander Misurkin and Anton Shkaplerov in the open space Photo: NASA TV
