NASA postpones ISS spacewalk Due to Crew Member Medical Issue
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NASA has postponed a spacewalk planned for today, January 8, 2026, outside the International space Station (ISS) due to a “medical concern” involving one of the crew members [1]. Details regarding the nature of the medical issue have not been disclosed, but NASA confirmed the crew member is currently in stable condition.
crew-11 and the delayed Spacewalk
The spacewalk was to be conducted by NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman. Their primary objectives included routing cables for a future solar array upgrade, installing jumper cables, documenting hardware, and collecting samples for microorganism research [1]. Supporting the spacewalk preparations were JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui and NASA astronaut Chris Williams, who were slated for suit-up operations [1].
Potential Impact on Mission Duration
According to a NASA spokesperson, safety remains the agency’s top priority. The possibility of an earlier-than-planned conclusion to the SpaceX Crew-11 mission is being evaluated [1]. This is a standard contingency plan employed by NASA and its international partners to ensure crew safety and mission success.
SpaceX Crew-11 and Upcoming Missions
The SpaceX Crew-11 mission comprises NASA astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman, JAXA astronaut Kimiya Yui, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Platonov. The team is currently aboard the ISS, conducting research and maintenance activities [2]. The anticipated launch of the SpaceX crew-12 mission is no earlier than February 15,2026 [1].
Ongoing ISS Activities
While Fincke and Cardman were preparing for their spacewalk,other crew members continued their ongoing work. Roscosmos flight engineers Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Oleg Platonov focused on utilizing artificial intelligence to transcribe audio logs, while Sergei Mikaev worked on a camera removal project [1]. Additionally, Williams and Yui contributed to research in the fields of physics and microbiology.
NASA is expected to provide an update regarding the crew member’s condition and a revised date for the spacewalk in the near future [3].