Extravehicular activities (EVAs), commonly referred to as spacewalks, have played an important role in space since the early days of human spaceflight. On March 18, 1965, Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov ventured outside of his capsule, becoming the first human to float freely in space. This initial test lasted about 12 minutes and had a few complications. Leonov’s suit expanded so much while outside that he had trouble fitting back inside the spacecraft. He ended up opening a valve to let some air out of his suit, venting it beyond safety limits before he was able to climb back into the airlock. He also reported that he perspired so much, he was sloshing in sweat within his space suit.
As EVAs have become more frequent and longer in duration, the equipment has evolved. The EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) for example, is a space suit designed to provide astronauts with life support, mobility, and protection from extreme temperatures. The EMU includes a helmet with a visor to shield against the sun, radiation, and micrometeoroids, as well as a backpack that provides oxygen, cooling, and communication capabilities.
EVAs have been instrumental in the assembly and construction of space stations such as Skylab, Mir, and the ISS. As part of building these stations, astronauts performed intricate maneuvers to connect modules, deploy solar arrays, and install external components, helping transform modules into complex orbiting laboratories.
Gravitics believes in the benefits of a robust human and robotic presence in space. Overall, extravehicular activities continue to be indispensable for facilitating scientific research, supporting human systems, exploration, and the maintenance of spacecraft and space stations. New and exciting EVA equipment is currently in development. The Gravitics team is looking forward to seeing advanced systems in operation as space suits and procedures continue to evolve.
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Senior Trade and Investment Officer for all-things Space 🚀🪐🛰️ U.S. | U.K.
6moOlivia so jealous you made it out there before me! Many thanks to you and the Gravitics team!