NASA Resumes Spacewalks

NASA is gearing up to conduct back-to-back spacewalks this month, marking a significant return to extravehicular activities at the International Space Station (ISS) after a lengthy hiatus due to safety concerns. After nearly seven months of inactivity, astronauts will once again venture outside the orbital lab, thanks to safety updates following a series of alarming water leaks in the spacesuits.

On January 16 and 23, NASA plans to execute two operations to service crucial scientific instruments affixed to the ISS. These missions will see astronauts Suni Williams and Nick Hague stepping outside the station for the first time since a June 2024 incident in which a water leak prompted the suspension of all spacewalks. Russian cosmonauts, however, have remained active, conducting work outside the ISS as recently as December 2024.

History of the Safety Scare

NASA originally halted extravehicular activities following a dramatic water leak during a planned spacewalk that could have jeopardized astronaut Tracy Dyson’s safety. "There's water everywhere," Dyson famously reported during the live transmission, highlighting the urgency of the situation. After an extensive investigation, NASA identified and fixed the issue by altering the faulty seals and umbilical connections of the spacesuits.

Upcoming Spacewalk Details

Scheduled for January 16, Suni Williams and Nick Hague will first work to replace a critical rate gyro assembly and conduct maintenance on the NICER X-ray telescope, a ground-breaking observatory dedicated to studying the cosmos, including neutron stars and black holes. They will also prepare the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer for future enhancements, ensuring the ISS remains at the forefront of scientific discovery.

On January 23, the spacewalk duties will shift to fellow astronauts Don Pettit and Butch Wilmore, who have been waiting in low Earth orbit aboard Boeing's Starliner since their launch back in June 2024. The astronauts anticipate a return to Earth aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft in March 2025.

Concerns About Spacesuit Aging

The upcoming spacewalks are not without scrutiny, as NASA grapples with aging spacesuits that are over 40 years old and increasingly in need of modernization. Originally designed for the Space Shuttle program in the 1970s, these extravehicular mobility units (EMUs) have faced numerous challenges in recent years. In May 2022, the agency suspended operations after multiple incidents where water intruded into astronauts' helmets during missions. Notably, in one incident back in 2013, ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano encountered a dangerous water leak that forced an early conclusion to his spacewalk.

NASA's Commitment to Safety

As excitement builds for this historic return to spacewalks, NASA reassures that safety remains its top priority, with rigorous measures now in place to protect astronauts as they continue their vital work in space. Don’t miss the live coverage of these enthralling missions as humanity pushes further into the mysteries of the universe!