Spacesuit leak - International Space Station

Trotter · 16-07-2013 2:51pm #1

Stunning footage on the live link to the ISS spacewalk today of Luca Parmitano returning quickly to the airlock after water started to build around his head inside the suit.

Mission control quickly decided to get him back in so he and Chris Cassidy made it back to the airlock fast to get him out of the suit.

By the time he was safely back in the crew lock, you could see the ISS crew working frantically but calmly through the steps to get his helmet off. He had lost comms with the others so Chris Cassidy was trying to visually communicate and relay the thumbs up back to the crew. They dived on him with towels to mop up the water after getting the helmet off him quickly.

Unreal.. What was particularly amazing though was the calm but speed of the crew dealing with it. It goes to show that they really do choose them well.

Spare a thought for Chris Cassidy though.. He's had to sort the emergency ammonia leak, and now cut short a spacewalk to practically rescue Parmitano who was in a right bit of bother.

Live stream here..

http://www.ustream.tv/nasahdtv

Trotter · 16-07-2013 4:03pm

Luca has reported that the water infront of his face didnt taste exactly like drinking water. He didnt urinate in the suit up to that point and even though he drank most of or all the water in his supply feed to stop it leaking (if it was that) its interesting to note that it may not be drinking water that was the problem.

That could suggest theres a problem with the water cooling system in the suit because it was coming from behind him. Possibly a tear? I'd say there'll be some forensic suit inspections happening on board tonight and the tailors on the ground will be getting their heads together :P

Interesting article on it.. It certainly had twitter flying anyway.. Anyone with some spaceists or astronauts on their feed could see there was an urgency.

Spaceflightnow.com

jumpjack · 22-07-2013 6:14pm

Trotter wrote: »

Live stream here..

http://www.ustream.tv/nasahdtv

Any recording available?

jumpjack · 22-07-2013 6:18pm

Trotter wrote: »

Interesting article on it.. It certainly had twitter flying anyway.. Anyone with some spaceists or astronauts on their feed could see there was an urgency.

Spaceflightnow.com

"Now it's in my eyes," Parmitano said.

A few moments later, astronaut Shane Kimbrough in mission control ordered the spacewalkers to head back to the Quest airlock module.

How could it have ever been "in its eyes"???

Maybe he said "ears" in an "Italian English"!