The high-stakes logistics of repairing a failing space station

Space · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: When a critical component fails in orbit, every second counts. This briefing details the urgent shift in plans to repair a malfunctioning ammonia coolant pump on the International Space Station.

Following a pump failure on July 31, NASA flight managers met at the Johnson Space Center on August 2 to finalize revised plans for two Extravehicular Activities (EVAs). The mission tasks flight engineers Doug Wheelock and Tracy Caldwell Dyson with replacing the faulty hardware.

The briefing highlights the logistical coordination required for orbital maintenance, with live coverage of the spacewalks scheduled to begin at 6 a.m. on Saturday, August 7.

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