NASA is gearing up for its first spacewalk of 2024, scheduled to take place on Monday, June 24. This follows the previous week’s cancellation of a spacewalk due to a spacesuit discomfort issue experienced by NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick during his preparation for his first extravehicular activity (EVA). In place of Dominick, NASA astronauts Tracy C. Dyson and Mike Barratt will partner for the June 24 spacewalk, which will be the fourth for Dyson and the third for Barratt.
The June 24 walk was already scheduled, but the earlier cancellation means that some of the tasks for the EVA have been changed. Despite this, NASA astronauts will still be removing faulty radio hardware and swabbing station surfaces for microorganisms, which was part of the plan for the canceled spacewalk. The task of swabbing surfaces will help scientists to learn whether microorganisms that escape from the station’s vents can survive and reproduce in the hostile conditions of space.
Dyson and Barratt will be supported from inside the space station by Dominick and NASA’s Jeanette Epps. In preparation, the pair have been using a computer to practice operating the Canadarm2 robotic arm that will assist Dyson and Barratt during their EVA. The robotic arm is a vital part of the spacewalk, allowing astronauts to perform tasks that would be difficult or impossible to do manually.
NASA’s Fourth Spacewalk of the Year Scheduled for June 24
The next few weeks will be particularly busy aboard the International Space Station (ISS). A day after the spacewalk, NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are expected to depart the station aboard the Starliner spacecraft in a highly anticipated homecoming for the capsule’s first human flight. The following week, on Tuesday, July 2, another EVA is set to take place. NASA has yet to name the astronauts for that spacewalk, and the tasks for it will be assigned following the completion of the June 24 EVA.
NASA will live stream the upcoming spacewalks from about 250 miles above Earth, with both expected to last around six-and-a-half hours. Check back later for full details on how to watch the broadcasts.
The ISS has been continuously occupied by astronauts since November 2000, and the spacewalks are an essential part of maintaining and upgrading the station. The equipment and systems on the ISS are constantly being upgraded and replaced, and the spacewalks provide a crucial means of performing these tasks.
The ISS is a unique and complex environment, and the spacewalks require careful planning and execution. The astronauts conducting the spacewalk must be trained to deal with the challenges of working in a microgravity environment, and they must be able to use specialized equipment to perform the tasks at hand.
