NASA announced Monday that it has canceled plans to conduct a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station due to a medical problem with one astronaut. Officials from the agency said this Monday (Aug. 23).
The spacewalk was delayed due to a "minor medical concern" with NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei, according to an update from the U.S. space Agency. Vande Hei, along with Akihiko Hashide (JAXA), were due to leave the station Tuesday (Aug. 24, to prepare the orbiting laboratory for a new solar array.
NASA officials stated in an update that "This issue does not constitute a medical emergency." "The spacewalk does not have a time limit and crew members continue to work on other stations and activities."
Video: Space station deploys new roll-out solar arrays
Related: The International Space Station: Inside and Out (infographic).
NASA astronauts Meghan McArthur, Shane Kimbrough (top middle), Mark Vande Hei and Thomas Pesquet (bottom), review preparations for the European Space Agency's spacewalk on June 10, 2021. NASA image credit
NASA teams are currently deciding when to reschedule spacewalk amid a busy period for the station. On Saturday, August 28, a SpaceX Cargo Dragon spacecraft will launch the CRS-23 resupply mission for NASA. Russia plans to send astronauts on spacewalks starting next week in order to finish installation of the station's new Russian module, Nauka.
Vandei Hei was to place a modification kit on Hoshide's port side of the main truss that looks like a backbone during the spacewalk. This kit will enable the installation of a new type solar wing called the International Space Station Roll-Out Sun Array to boost the station's power supply. This new array is the third of six solar wings that will be installed to improve the station's power grid.
NASA officials stated that solar array preparation work and other tasks will have to wait until a new time for spacewalks is established.
Tariq Malik can be reached at tmalik@space.com, or on Twitter @tariqjmalik. Follow us @Spacedotcom on Facebook and Instagram.
