As you may remember, a few days ago we told you about a serious incident that occurred on the International Space Station, when an unspecified body (perhaps a micrometeoroid or space debris) hit Soyuz MS-22 and caused the loss of coolant from it. This jeopardized planned short-term spacewalks because the liquid was ammonia-based, which could soak into the astronauts’ suits and then react with the temperature inside the station.

However, that is the least of the problem. Today, it is of great concern that until the condition of Soyuz MS-22 can be fully determined, we do not know if three of the seven station occupants have the lifeboat necessary to evacuate the International Space Station in the hypothetical case. . Something we obviously hope doesn’t have to happen, but it’s essential to be prepared for.

As we have already told you, Roskosmos has set December 27 as the deadline by which to find out whether the Soyuz MS-22 is still operational and can be used normally or, on the contrary, the damage is irreversible and it will have to be retired and , in this case to speed up the launch of Soyuz MS-23, originally planned for spring, which will also have to travel in a short time accompanied by a second spacecraft. And it consists in the fact that to carry out a complete exchange of three crew members and to anchor the new Soyuz to the International Space Station, the operation of at least two ships is necessary, and in the event that one of them makes the outgoing flight, it can be controlled by one man.

About an hour into space, Cassada works to release the anti-rotation devices on iROSA that hold it in place. Rubio provides the power cables that will be connected once the iROSA is in place and ensures that 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 operation of the International Space Station if it can be carried out safely and spacewalks are an important element of it. And the good, more than good news in this regard is that after a 24-hour delay from 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 on the station, were supposed to fly into space, but due to the detection of space debris nearby, ground controllers were forced to maneuver the ISS to place it in space. safer orbit, circumstances under which spacewalks cannot be carried out for safety reasons.

yesterday though yes, the necessary conditions have been met and Cassada and Rubio were able to remain outside the International Space Station for seven hours and eight minutes, the time they spent installing a new solar panel system that, through capture, will significantly improve the station’s power generation capability by up to 30%. sunlight.

The return to normal is good news, although it is true that it will not be real until it is confirmed that the Soyuz MS-22 is still operational, or else until the assistance plan is finalized. in and during it, the permanent presence of Soyuz is restored as an evacuation plan.