NASA postpones spacewalk due to medical concern
NASA announced the postponement of a scheduled spacewalk on Thursday, citing a “medical concern” with one of the astronauts involved, reports BritPanorama.
The space agency has not disclosed further details regarding the medical issue or identified the astronaut in question. “Due to medical privacy, it is not appropriate for NASA to share more details about the crew member,” the agency stated. NASA added that the situation is stable and plans to provide updates, including a new date for the spacewalk, at a later time.
Initially, astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman were set to exit the International Space Station’s airlock to complete preparations for the installation of a new solar array. This would have marked Cardman’s first spacewalk since her selection for the astronaut corps in 2017.
Fincke, an experienced astronaut with nine prior spacewalks, was poised to join an exclusive group of astronauts who have conducted ten or more. Bill Spetch, NASA’s operations integration manager, noted this milestone during a recent briefing.
Nasa typically refrains from divulging detailed medical conditions affecting its astronauts. While the agency releases findings on the impacts of space travel on human health as part of broader scientific studies, specific instances often remain unnamed.
Medical conditions such as space adaptation syndrome, which includes symptoms like nausea and dizziness, have been documented among first-time astronauts. Historical accounts highlight that such ailments have been noted since the early days of human spaceflight.
A previously reported incident involved an astronaut diagnosed with jugular venous thrombosis, a serious condition that can lead to clot formation in the jugular vein. Information about this astronauts’ identity has not been disclosed.
In another case, a crew member from SpaceX’s Crew-8 mission experienced a medical issue upon returning from the space station in October 2024 and was subsequently hospitalized in Florida. Details about this incident, like others, remain largely undisclosed, with NASA indicating the crew member was stable and being observed as a precaution.
The ongoing developments in astronaut health underscore the complexities of space missions and the need for continued research into the effects of microgravity and the space environment on human physiology.
