On Monday, NASA had to cancel a planned spacewalk at the International Space Station due to a water leak from an astronaut’s spacesuit.
Astronauts Tracy Dyson and Mike Barratt were gearing up for their spacewalk when encountering an unexpected issue. As they prepared to exit the space station’s airlock, Dyson immediately noticed water leaking from her suit’s cooling system after switching it to battery power. The astronauts hadn’t yet gone outside when the problem arose.
“There’s water everywhere here now,” Barratt stated.
Despite the sudden events, NASA assured that neither astronaut was in danger. The spacewalk, originally intended to last nearly seven hours, was set to address a faulty communications box and collect microbe samples from the station’s exterior. Instead, the mission was cut short, lasting only about thirty minutes.
This incident follows the postponement of another spacewalk earlier this month, during which an astronaut experienced “spacesuit discomfort.” These events underscore the complexities and unpredictable nature of conducting extravehicular activities in the harsh space environment.
Safety protocols and rapid response to unexpected situations continue to be essential for the success of missions and the well-being of astronauts aboard the International Space Station.
