After a significant pause due to spacesuit issues, NASA is finally resuming spacewalks. Four astronauts are gearing up for two separate missions outside the International Space Station (ISS), scheduled for January 16 and 23, 2025. This marks the first time NASA astronauts will venture outside the orbital lab in nearly seven months, following a series of concerning water leak incidents that halted extravehicular activities.
The two spacewalks will focus on servicing science experiments attached to the exterior of the ISS. While Russian cosmonauts conducted a spacewalk in December 2024, NASA suspended its own extravehicular activities after a dangerous spacesuit leak in June 2024. During preparations for a spacewalk, a water leak was detected in the service and cooling umbilical unit on astronaut Tracy Dyson’s spacesuit, prompting an immediate abort. “There’s water everywhere,” Dyson reported during the live ISS feed.
NASA subsequently announced it had addressed the leak by replacing a seal and umbilical cord and re-pressurizing the affected spacesuit. This paved the way for the upcoming spacewalks.
Upcoming Spacewalk Objectives: Science and Maintenance
The first spacewalk, scheduled for 7 a.m. ET on January 16, will feature astronauts Suni Williams and Nick Hague. Their primary tasks include replacing a rate gyro assembly and servicing the Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) X-ray telescope. NICER is mounted on the exterior of the ISS and observes neutron stars, black holes, and other celestial phenomena. Williams and Hague will also prepare the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS), a particle physics experiment module, for future upgrades.
Astronauts Don Pettit and Butch Wilmore will conduct the second spacewalk on January 23. Interestingly, Williams and Wilmore arrived at the ISS in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and are awaiting their return to Earth, scheduled for March 2025, via a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Addressing the Aging Spacesuit Issue
The current spacesuits used by NASA astronauts are over 40 years old, originally designed in the 1970s for the space shuttle program. These aging Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMUs) are nearing the end of their operational lifespan and have experienced several issues in recent years.
Beyond the June 2024 incident, a series of potentially dangerous water leaks into astronauts’ helmets prompted NASA to suspend spacewalks in May 2022. A similar incident occurred in 2013, forcing ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano to prematurely end a spacewalk.
To address these concerns and develop next-generation spacesuits, NASA awarded contracts to Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace in June 2022, totaling $3.5 billion. These new suits are expected to enhance safety and reliability for future spacewalks.
Looking Ahead
These upcoming spacewalks mark a crucial step in maintaining vital scientific experiments on the ISS and represent a return to regular extravehicular activity for NASA astronauts. While the aging EMUs will be utilized for these missions, the development of new spacesuits promises enhanced safety and capabilities for future space exploration.
