The two astronauts aboard the International Space Station managed to install antennas and release a baby Sputnik on a spacewalk Monday just before the orbiting outpost drifted and rolled slightly because of the overloaded gyroscopes.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said the astronauts were in no danger because the slow roll was not a surprise for them. Indeed, the station even held steady longer than expected. In addition, there were also flight controllers which could have prevented this free drift by promptly firing the station’s thrusters. They waited to do so until the spacewalkers were out of the way not to contaminate their spacesuits with toxic rocket fuel.

The American commander, Dr. Leroy Chiao, and his Russian crewmate, Salizhan Sharipov, installed four antennas for cargo carrier of a new type scheduled to be practiced next year. They also released a satellite called Nanosputnik manufactured for experimental maneuvering by ground controllers.