NASA planned two spacewalks for this January. The first spacewalk was going to be held on 8th January 2026, and the second spacewalk was going to be held on 15th January.
This spacewalk mainly focused on updating power systems, installing fresh systems, and doing maintenance to make sure the station continues to operate safely.
Two astronauts were going to be part of this space mission. Astronomy fans were eagerly waiting for more details about space, but unfortunately, some miserable news came to light from NASA. Exactly one day before the mission, NASA announced the postponement of the 2026 first spacewalk.
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About the postponement
On 7th January, Wednesday, NASA posted about the postponement, where they explained the reasons behind the delay for an undefined time.
They also mentioned the medical emergency of an undefined astronaut, but did not disclose the exact reasons due to medical privacy protocol.
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“NASA is postponing the Thursday, Jan. 8, spacewalk outside the International Space Station. The agency is monitoring a medical concern with a crew member that arose on Wednesday afternoon aboard the orbital complex. Due to medical privacy, it is not appropriate for NASA to share more details about the crew member. The situation is stable. NASA will share additional details, including a new date for the upcoming spacewalk, later", the organisation shared the statement.
NASA later added, “As an update to our earlier communication regarding a medical situation aboard the International Space Station, 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. These are the situations NASA and our partners train for and prepare to execute safely. We will provide further updates within the next 24 hours.”
