NASA has postponed a planned spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS) that was scheduled for Thursday, January 8, 2026 (6:30 pm IST), after a medical issue was reported with one of the astronauts.
The agency said the concern came up on Wednesday afternoon and that the crew member is stable. For privacy reasons, NASA has not shared who the astronaut is or what the medical problem is. What was planned for the spacewalk? Astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman were set to carry out the spacewalk, which was expected to last about 6.5 hours and start around 8:00 a.m. EST (6:30 pm IST). Their main job was to prepare the station’s 2A power channel for installing new roll-out solar arrays (iROSAs).
These new panels will provide extra power to the ISS and support its operations in the coming years, including plans for a safe deorbit in about five years. They also planned to collect swab samples near the Quest airlock to check for microbes and study how contamination behaves in space. This would have been Zena Cardman’s first-ever spacewalk, while it would have been Fincke’s 10th. What happens next? This delay affects the first of two spacewalks planned for January. The second one, scheduled for January 15, includes tasks like replacing cameras, adding navigation aids, and improving backup systems for fluids on the station.
NASA also briefly took down the ISS live feed before announcing the delay, showing the agency was being cautious while assessing the situation. In a later update, NASA said it is looking at all possible options, including changing crew schedules if needed. The agency said: The matter involved a single crew member who is stable. Safely conducting our missions is our highest priority, and we are actively evaluating all options, including the possibility of an earlier end to Crew-11’s mission. NASA added that more updates will be shared within 24 hours. Why are medical issues in space taken seriously? Medical problems in space are rare, but microgravity can affect the body in unusual ways, such as fluid shifting toward the head or increased risk of blood clots. Because of this, NASA treats any health concern very seriously and puts crew safety above all mission plans. With upcoming cargo missions also scheduled later in January, maintenance timelines are getting tight. Still, NASA says it has strong medical systems onboard and is closely monitoring the crew. For now, the space agency says safety comes first, and the new spacewalk date will be shared soon once everything is cleared.
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