NASA Astronauts Conduct Spacewalk Outside ISS, Searching for Signs of Life

Published: Thursday, June 13th, 2024

NASA astronauts Tracy C. Dyson and Matt Dominick embarked on a pivotal spacewalk outside the International Space Station (ISS) today at 8 a.m. ET. The excursion is expected to last approximately six hours, during which the pair will collect scientific evidence and perform critical tasks.

Live Coverage:

• Watch the spacewalk live on USA TODAY's YouTube channel.

Today's Objectives:

Dyson, in her red-striped suit, and Dominick, in an unmarked suit, will work together to:

• Remove a faulty electronics box from a communications antenna on the starboard side of the ISS.
• Collect samples to "understand the ability of microorganisms to survive and reproduce on the exterior of the orbiting laboratory" - NASA.

NASA Live Streams:

View the spacewalk on any of the following official NASA channels:

• NASA+
• NASA Television
• NASA app
• NASA YouTube
• NASA Website

Upcoming US Spacewalks:

Following today's spacewalk, NASA will announce the crew for the upcoming 91st and 92nd US spacewalks, scheduled for June 24 and July 2, respectively.

About the Astronauts:

This is Dyson's fourth spacewalk, an experienced astronaut who has been on the ISS since March 2024, marking her third trip to space. Dominick, commander of the SpaceX Crew-8 mission on the ISS, joined the ISS in March as well.

The spacewalk is also made possible with the assistance of Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, astronauts from Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. They have extended their stay at the ISS beyond the initial one-week plan and are now scheduled to return to Earth on June 18.