As you will remember, a few days ago we told you about the serious incident that had occurred on the International Space Station, when an undetermined body (perhaps a micrometeoroid or space debris) hit the Soyuz MS-22, causing a loss of coolant from it. This compromised scheduled short-term spacewalks, as the liquid was based on ammonia, which could soak into astronauts’ suits and subsequently react with the temperature inside the station.
This, however, is the least of the problems. What is of great concern today is that until the status of the Soyuz MS-22 can be fully determined, we do not know if three of the seven occupants of the station have a lifeboat in the hypothetical case that necessary to evacuate the International Space Station. Something that, of course, we hope does not have to happen, but for which it is essential to be prepared.
As we already told you, Roscosmos has set December 27 as the deadline to determine if the Soyuz MS-22 is still operational and can be used normally or if, on the contrary, the damage is irreversible and it will be necessary to discard it and, in In this case, speed up the launch of the Soyuz MS-23, initially scheduled for spring, which, in addition, will have to travel accompanied, in a short time, by a second spacecraft. And it is that to carry out a complete replacement of the three crew members and for a new Soyuz to be anchored to the International Space Station, an operation of at least two ships is necessary, and that in the event that one of them, on the outbound flight, It can be manned by a single man.
About an hour into the spacewalk, Cassada is working to release the anti-rotation devices on the iROSA that are holding it in place. Rubio is securing power cables that will be connected once the iROSA is in place and making sure the soft-capture system is ready for its arrival. pic.twitter.com/5l4hnbjggL
— International Space Station (@Space_Station) December 22, 2022
However, and although the situation is far from ideal, this situation cannot paralyze the activity of the International Space Station, as long as it can be carried out safely, and an important element of it is made up of space walks. And the good, more than good, news in this regard is that, after a 24-hour delay on the original plans, the International Space Station has already returned to normal spacewalks.
Last Wednesday, Josh Cassada and Frank Rubio, two of the NASA astronauts present at the station, were scheduled to go into space, but due to the detection of space debris in the vicinity, ground controllers were forced to maneuver the ISS to place it in a safer orbit, circumstances in which, for safety, spacewalks cannot be carried out.
yesterday, however, yes, the necessary conditions were met and Cassada and Rubio were able to remain outside the International Space Station for seven hours and eight minutes, time they spent installing a new solar panel system that will substantially improve the station’s ability to generate power by up to 30%. electric thanks to the capture of sunlight.
The return to normality is good news, although it is true that this will not be real until it is confirmed that the Soyuz MS-22 is still operational or, otherwise, until the relief plan has been completed. of the three crew members who arrived in it and, during it, the constant presence of a Soyuz is recovered as an evacuation plan.
