In a recent spacewalk at the International Space Station (ISS), NASA astronauts Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara experienced an unexpected setback when they accidentally lost a tool bag in space. This incident took place during their first spacewalk, a significant milestone in their careers.
The spacewalk, lasting six hours and 42 minutes, was primarily focused on maintenance work on the ISS’s solar arrays, which are essential for tracking the sun. However, due to time constraints, the astronauts were unable to complete all planned tasks, including the removal and stowing of a communications electronics box. This task has been deferred to a future spacewalk.
During their mission, the tool bag unexpectedly slipped away and was declared “lost” by NASA. The incident was monitored by flight controllers using the ISS’ external cameras. Fortunately, the tools in the bag were not required for the remainder of their tasks, and NASA’s analysis confirmed that the bag’s trajectory posed a low risk of recontacting the station, ensuring the safety of the onboard crew and the ISS.
This is not the first instance of tools being lost in space. Notably, in 2008, astronaut Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper lost a tool bag during a spacewalk, and in 2006, astronauts Piers Sellers and Michael Fossum lost a spatula while testing shuttle repair methods.
The lost tool bag, now part of the space debris orbiting Earth, can potentially be observed from Earth with binoculars in the coming months before it disintegrates in the atmosphere. Space debris, which includes non-functional artificial materials orbiting Earth, is a growing concern. As of September 2023, the European Space Agency estimated that there were over 35,290 objects being tracked, with a combined mass exceeding 11,000 tons.
This incident underscores the challenges and unpredictability of space missions and highlights the ongoing issue of space debris, which continues to accumulate around our planet.