NASA recently announced that the astronauts' spacewalk on the International Space Station (ISS) has been canceled and rescheduled due to a problem with one of the spacesuits. The cancellation of the 90th spacewalk, which was originally set to occur on June 13, was revealed by NASA ISS Program Manager Dana Weigel during a press conference on June 18.
Astronauts Tracy Dyson and Matthew Dominick had already suited up and were preparing for the spacewalk when Dominick experienced discomfort with his spacesuit just an hour before launch. The decision to cancel the spacewalk was made as ensuring astronaut safety is paramount in such situations. The spacewalk has been rescheduled, with Dyson now set to conduct the walk alongside NASA astronaut Mike Barratt on June 24.
Initially, three spacewalks were planned for the summer, but due to the oxygen supply constraints on the ISS and the earlier cancellation, the number of spacewalks has been reduced to two. Despite this setback, NASA aims to continue its maintenance work on the orbital station during the upcoming spacewalks.
Additionally, NASA shared updates on the return of astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who arrived at the ISS on June 6 aboard the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The return of the crew, originally scheduled for June 22, has been delayed as the functionality of the spacecraft is being checked due to helium leaks from its propulsion systems. The return is now expected to take place on June 26 or possibly earlier.
The upcoming spacewalk on June 24 will involve maintenance tasks on the ISS, along with the collection of microorganism samples for further study on their survival in space. The subsequent spacewalk scheduled for July 2 will see astronauts continuing critical work outside the station, although the specific crew members participating have yet to be announced.
NASA remains committed to the safety and success of all operations on the ISS and continues to adapt to ensure the smooth functioning of the orbital station.
2. ISS spacewalk called off with astronauts already in spacesuits