Astronaut Shows Off Leaky Suit That Led to Spacewalk Emergency

Astronaut Luca Parmitano was on a routine spacewalk outside the International Space Station on July 16 when his helmet began to fill with water.

Parmitano, who was working alongside NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy, was just more than one hour into the planned six-and-a-half hour EVA (extravehicular activity) when the back of his head felt wet. At first, the Italian astronaut thought the water came from his drink bag, so he emptied it. But when water continued to trickle throughout the helmet, NASA aborted the spacewalk.

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While the exact source of the leak remains a mystery, Cassidy uploaded a video from the ISS on Tuesday to give an up-close look at the faulty spacesuit.

In the video below, Cassidy explains that cooling water seeped into Parmitano's helmet through the ventilation system, which is why the back of his head felt damp. It's common for astronauts to sweat inside their suits, but Parmitano knew this was actual water because it began to gather into floating bubbles in the zero-gravity environment, creeping into his ear cups, eyes and nose.

Parmitano suffered no injuries from the leak and was able to safely enter the station and remove his suit. However, Cassidy points out that if the leaking had continued, "it would've been really serious."

Watch Cassidy's full explanation of the spacesuit and the leak in a video from NASA: