NASA flight controllers have opted to postpone two spacewalks because the agency and Roscosmos proceed to review data related to a recent radiator coolant leak on the Russian side of the International Space Station.
The primary spacewalk was expected to occur today, Oct. 12. The second was planned for Oct. 20. Each U.S. extravehicular activities were to be based out of the Quest airlock. NASA said recent dates might be announced later.
The coolant leak occurred Oct. 9 and involved the backup radiator on the Nauka multipurpose laboratory module. Roscosmos and NASA have since reported the leak has ceased with external camera views showing only residual coolant droplets.
“The first radiator on Nauka continues to work normally, providing full cooling to the module with no impacts to the crew or to space station operations,” an Oct. 11 NASA blog post reads.
The backup radiator was delivered to the ISS in 2010 on the Rassvet module throughout the STS-132 space shuttle mission. There, the radiator waited for Nauka to launch, which didn’t occur until July of 2021. Installation of the component occurred in April of this yr.
Roscosmos said it plans to have cosmonauts take photos of the radiator throughout the next planned Russian segment-based spacewalk, which is slated for Oct. 25. It’s hoped this may establish the explanation for the leak and if the device will be repaired in the longer term.