Another spacewalk canceled after problem with NASA spacesuit
This is the second spacewalk delay in recent weeks due to a spacesuit issue. According to NASA, the first attempt on June 13 did not happen "due to a spacesuit discomfort issue."
Fast Facts About Spacesuits
Some facts about the equipment that allows astronauts to survive in space.
NASA called off a spacewalk for the second time this month after a coolant leak was discovered on a NASA astronaut's spacesuit when they opened an International Space Station airlock.
On Monday, NASA astronauts Tracy Dyson and Mike Barratt put on their extravehicular mobility units (EMU), also known as spacesuits, and opened the space station's Quest airlock hatch before 9 a.m. ET. Dyson reported a water leak in the service and cooling umbilical unit of her spacesuit.
NASA, SPACEX WORKING TO MITIGATE HAZARDS POSED BY SPACE DEBRIS
NASA managers called off the spacewalk, and the airlock was closed at 9:17 a.m.
"The crew members were not in any danger as a result of the leak," NASA said.
The astronauts were scheduled to remove a faulty electronic box outside the ISS and collect samples for analysis.
This is the second spacewalk delay in recent weeks due to an EMU issue. According to NASA, the first attempt on June 13 did not happen "due to a spacesuit discomfort issue." The space agency was unable to elaborate further on the issue due to astronaut privacy.
The current EMUs consist of a bottom half for the legs and an upper torso which start at size medium and go up, but the suits are not customized to an astronaut's body type.
New spacesuits coming
NASA has used the same spacesuits, which first designed for the space shuttle program, for decades. The space agency is working with commercial contractors to replace them in time for the first astronauts to return to the Moon as part of the Artemis program.
NASA PICKS WHO'LL MAKE NEW SPACESUITS FOR THE NEXT MOONWALKERS
Spacesuits designed by Axiom Space for lunar missions and microgravity are in the testing phase. While Axiom Space was already at work on spacesuits for the Artemis program, the company was awarded an expanded contract to develop spacesuits for use on the International Space Station and other low-Earth orbit vehicles.
2023 FILE PHOTO: The new spacesuit is carried out during the Axiom Space Artemis III Lunar Spacesuit event at Space Center Houston in Houston, Texas, on March 15, 2023. (Photo by MARK FELIX/AFP /AFP via Getty Images)
(Mark Felix / AFP / Getty Images)
Spacesuits need to act as mini spacecraft, keeping astronauts alive and providing communications. The entire spacesuit design includes a life support system, pressurized garments, power avionics and a communication system.