Certainly, in the ISS, the postponements seem to be legion. Between Boeing, which is still delaying the return to Earth of its Starliner capsule after faults were identified, and NASA directly which has, twice in a row, canceled the extravehicular exit of June 13 and that of June 24, which were to take place on the ISS, we no longer really know where to turn.
A coolant leak involved
Scheduled for June 24, 2024, around 2:52 p.m. French time, the extravehicular exit of astronauts Tracy Caldwell Dyson and Mike Barratt did not take place.
In fact, shortly before leaving the cockpit, the American astronaut and physicist from NASA reported, live on the American space agency channel, that there was “water literally everywhere”. It was canceled due to a leak from the spacesuit’s cooling unit.
As reported Spacethis was a very serious situation, but which did not endanger the duo of astronauts.
“ I could see the ice crystals ”
Shortly after the spacewalk was canceled, Tracy Dyson spoke about what she saw at Mission Control, very shortly before leaving the station:
“I could see the ice crystals flowing and like a snow machine, ice formed at the SCU port [ndr, abréviation de Servicing and Cooling Umbilical – le système de refroidissement de la combinaison spatiale]”
Space specifies that the leak occurred very shortly before the station hatch was opened. The leak was therefore spotted in time.
Another spacewalk canceled
On June 13, 2024, NASA had canceled the EVA of NASA astronauts Matt Dominick and Tracy Dyson because the former felt discomfort and embarrassment in his spacesuit.
This is therefore the second time in a row that the American space agency has canceled an extravehicular outing on the ISS in around ten days. However, in space and like everywhere else, safety will always take precedence over the successful completion of a mission.
The next EVA should take place on July 2, 2024 and will surely be closely scrutinized by NASA engineers so that everything can happen in a context where safety reigns.
Finally, on the side of Boeing and the return of Starliner, the status quo is in order. In fact, at present NASA’s Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams do not yet know when they will be able to return to Earth, as the capsule is still being analyzed. A return no earlier than July 2 is planned.
Source : Space
