'Medical concern' prompts NASA to postpone International Space Station spacewalk

The USA's National Aeronautics and Space Organisation (NASA) is postponing a spacewalk this week at the International Space Station due to an unspecified medical concern impacting one of its astronauts. The postponement was announced Monday, less than 24 hours before Mark Vande Hei was scheduled to float outside.

Medical issue prompts spacewalk delay

Vande Hei is coping with a small medical issue, according to officials. They stated that it is not an emergency, but provided no other information. "The spacewalk is not time-critical, and crew members are continuing to work on other station tasks and activities," NASA said. The agency is considering delaying the task to after SpaceX's cargo spacecraft launches on 28  August and after the planned Russian spacewalks. 

Vande Hei, a 54-year-old retired Army colonel, has been in the space station since April and is scheduled to stay until next spring on a one-year mission. This is his second visit to the station. Vande Hei is an ISS and spacewalk veteran who was previously stationed in 2017 and 2018. He arrived aboard the International Space Station in April for a six-month assignment.

New Russian laboratory module

Vande Hei and Japanese astronaut Akihiko Hoshide were scheduled to go outside Tuesday to install support for new solar wings. NASA stated that the work can be postponed. According to NASA, the spacewalk will be delayed after this weekend's planned supply mission by SpaceX and a September series of spacewalks on the Russian side of the orbiting lab.

The ISS has lately experienced some excitement following the arrival of a new Russian laboratory module, which momentarily shifted the station's orientation. It was also planned to host a Boeing Starliner test flight, but that launch was postponed due to technical difficulties. NASA and the ISS crew and ground crews have had to be flexible in the face of unforeseen circumstances, so the spacewalk delay is a small issue, the American space organisation informed.

(With inputs from AP, Image: AP/PTI)