Helium Leak Aborting 'Historic' Spacewalk on Artemis Moon Mission

Helium leak causes NASA to abort record-breaking spacewalk

Historic, all-female spacewalk pushed back due to equipment malfunction

NASA had to abort a planned spacewalk that was set to take place on March 29, 2023, after teams detected a helium leak in a spacesuit. The spacewalk was to be the first all-female spacewalk in history, and would have seen NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir perform maintenance on the International Space Station's (ISS) exterior.

The leak was discovered during a pre-spacewalk checkout of the spacesuits. NASA officials said the leak was coming from a fitting on the spacesuit's primary life support system, which provides oxygen and other gases to the astronaut wearing the suit.

NASA officials said the leak was not a major safety concern, but it was significant enough to warrant aborting the spacewalk. They said they are still investigating the cause of the leak and will need to replace the fitting before the spacewalk can be rescheduled.

The aborted spacewalk is a setback for NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the Moon by 2024. The spacewalk was to be a key test of the spacesuits that will be used on the Artemis missions.

Despite the setback, NASA officials said they are still confident in the Artemis program and are committed to returning humans to the Moon.

What is a helium leak?

A helium leak is a leak of helium gas from a container or system. Helium is a light, inert gas that is used in a variety of applications, including balloons, party balloons, and medical imaging.

Helium leaks can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Cracks or holes in the container or system
• Loose fittings or seals
• Damaged or defective components

Helium leaks can be dangerous because helium is a colorless, odorless gas that can be difficult to detect. If a helium leak is not detected and repaired, it can lead to a loss of pressure in the container or system, which can cause equipment to fail or even explode.

What are the symptoms of a helium leak?

The symptoms of a helium leak can vary depending on the size and location of the leak. Some common symptoms include:

• A hissing or whistling sound
• A decrease in pressure in the container or system
• Fogging or frosting of the container or system
• A drop in performance of equipment that uses helium

How to fix a helium leak

The best way to fix a helium leak is to find the source of the leak and seal it. This can be done by using a helium leak detector to locate the leak, and then using a sealant or patch to repair the leak.

If you are not able to find or repair the helium leak yourself, you should contact a qualified technician to help you.