NASA postpones space station spacewalk due to crew member’s “medical concern”

NASA has announced the postponement of an anticipated spacewalk from the International Space Station (ISS) due to a medical concern affecting one of its crew members. The event was scheduled for Thursday morning, with astronauts Mike Fincke and Zena Cardman preparing to venture outside the station for a duration of six-and-a-half hours. The primary objective of this spacewalk was to ready the ISS for the installation of new roll-out solar arrays, which are set to arrive later this year. This upgrade is significant as it represents the final enhancement of the station's electrical system before its planned decommissioning in 2030. According to NASA, the medical issue was identified on Wednesday afternoon, prompting officials to make the decision to reschedule the spacewalk. The agency emphasized that, in respect of medical privacy, further details regarding the crew member's situation will not be disclosed. However, they assured that the situation is stable and that updates, including a new date for the spacewalk, will be provided soon. This spacewalk was intended to be the first of two planned for this month, with another excursion expected next week where astronauts will conduct various maintenance tasks outside the ISS.