NASA Proposes Timing For Next Spacewalk After Long Break

NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps (center) assists NASA astronauts Mike Barratt (left) and Tracy C. Dyson inside the Quest airlock. — NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps (center) assists NASA astronauts Mike Barratt (left) and Tracy Dyson inside the airlock of the station on the day of the incident. NASA TV

A glance at the spacewalk records for the International Space Station (ISS) reveals a surprising trend: only two spacewalks occurred in 2024, the most recent being in June.

This is a significant drop compared to the average of at least twelve conducted annually from 2021 to 2023. There is, however, a valid explanation behind this decline.

NASA put a stop to spacewalks at the ISS in June following a water leak found in the service and cooling umbilical unit of a spacesuit worn by American astronaut Tracy Dyson, which occurred shortly after the hatch was opened at the beginning of a scheduled walk.

In light of this, NASA opted to halt all spacewalks at the station to allow engineers to investigate the problem and devise a solution.

After the replacement of a seal and the umbilical connection linking the suit to the ISS, the previously compromised suit was successfully repressurized. However, further testing was required to ensure the reliability and safety of the suit’s design.

With the issue seemingly resolved, Bill Spetch, manager of operations and integration for NASA’s ISS program, announced in a recent press briefing that the agency anticipates resuming spacewalks sometime in 2025, as reported by Space.com.

While a specific date has yet to be determined, Spetch noted that the timing will depend on various factors, stating, “it’s just a matter of when is the right timing.” He explained that spacewalks are typically planned in conjunction with spacecraft arrivals and departures, as well as around the astronauts’ research schedules.

As highlighted by Space.com, Dyson’s spacesuit is based on designs created in the 1970s that were utilized during the space shuttle missions in the 1980s. This suit has been employed for various tasks, from constructing the ISS in orbit to maintenance and upgrade activities on the station’s exterior over the past twenty years. NASA is now looking to replace this aging suit with a more modern design that offers improved mobility and comfort, similar to the one tested by Jared Isaacman during the recent Polaris Dawn mission.

Additionally, despite utilizing different suits than those used by NASA, Roscosmos, the Russian space agency, also suspended their spacewalks at the ISS, likely as a precaution to allow time for thorough inspections of all systems and equipment involved in spacewalk operations, including their own suits, to ensure everything functions correctly.