On June 13, 2024, NASA faced an unexpected setback when a “spacesuit discomfort issue” forced the cancellation of a planned spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS).
The mission, poised to be NASA’s 90th in the space station’s 23-year history, was abruptly halted approximately an hour before two U.S. astronauts—Tracy C. Dyson and Matt Dominick—were set to embark on their repair and science mission.
Early that Thursday morning, Dyson and Dominick donned their spacesuits in preparation for a roughly six-hour trek outside the ISS. As other U.S. crewmembers assisted them inside the station’s Quest airlock—the exit module separating the station’s interior from the vacuum of space.
NASA astronaut Mike Barratt requested a private communications line with flight controllers in Houston. A NASA spokesperson declared on a live feed a few minutes later that “today’s spacewalk will not be proceeding as planned.”ceeding as planned.”
The cause of the spacesuit discomfort remains unclear. Past spacewalks have been called off due to issues with the station’s aging spacesuits, which were designed nearly half a century ago with only minor redesigns and refurbishments. NASA’s inspector general has emphasized the need for an upgrade, a task currently assigned to Raytheon’s Collins Aerospace.
Interestingly, the cancellation occurred just a day after NASA accidentally broadcast a simulated emergency on its live YouTube feed. The simulation depicted astronauts being treated for decompression sickness on the ISS, sparking public concern. NASA clarified that there was no real emergency and that the audio was misrouted from a training scenario.
Despite this setback, NASA continues its commitment to space exploration, ensuring the safety and well-being of its astronauts as they push the boundaries of human knowledge beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
