#spacewalks

Top 30 spacewalk records by cumulative EVA time

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"Why don’t space suits inflate like a Michelin Man when on the Moon or outside the Space Station?"

They very easily could! If you had a poorly designed space suit or an overly pressurized suit, an astronaut could very easily find themselves immobilized, unable to contort their suit into a useful position. With the inside of a suit set to normal sea level pressure...

Read the full article on Forbes!

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Spacewalks, or extravehicular activities (EVAs), represent some of the most breathtaking moments in human space exploration. While they are visually stunning and technically remarkable, not every spacewalk unfolds without challenges—from astronauts getting stuck in hatches to losing tools or facing near-drowning incidents.

The upcoming Polaris Dawn mission by SpaceX marks a potential milestone in commercial spaceflight: the first spacewalk by a private citizen. Billionaire Jared Isaacman, a major funder of the mission, aims to become the first non-professional astronaut to conduct a private spacewalk outside SpaceX's Dragon capsule. The mission is set to reach an altitude of approximately 870 miles (1,400 km), making it the highest crewed spaceflight since the Apollo missions over 50 years ago. Isaacman’s spacewalk, scheduled at a lower orbit of around 434 miles (700 km), will be accompanied by SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis. Both will wear SpaceX's new spacesuits, featuring helmet displays and mounted cameras.

However, the Crew Dragon capsule lacks an airlock, necessitating full depressurization of the capsule before exiting. This, combined with the use of new spacesuits, introduces additional risks for the crew.

Spacewalks have come a long way since the first historic event nearly 60 years ago. Here’s a look back at some of the most notable moments in the history of spacewalks:

The First Spacewalk

On March 18, 1965, Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov became the first human to walk in space, stepping outside the Voskhod 2 spacecraft through an inflatable airlock. Although Leonov spent 12 minutes in space tethered to the spacecraft, his mission faced challenges. His spacesuit became rigid in the vacuum of space, hindering movement and photography. He also struggled to re-enter the spacecraft and had to reduce the suit’s pressure to fit through the hatch, resulting in his spacesuit being soaked with sweat.

The First American Spacewalk

Just over two months later, on June 3, 1965, Ed White became the first American to step outside a spacecraft during the Gemini 4 mission. Using a hand-held oxygen-jet gun, White maneuvered outside the capsule for 23 minutes. The gun’s fuel depletion forced him to move by tugging on a tether. Tragically, White would die in the Apollo 1 fire less than two years later.

The First Space 'Selfie'

During the Gemini XII mission in November 1966, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin not only contributed to the mission’s success but also took what is considered the first space "selfie." Aldrin’s photo, captured with a camera mounted on the edge of the spacecraft hatch, shows Earth in the background and has become an iconic image in space exploration history.

Untethered Spacewalk

In 1984, Bruce McCandless II performed the first untethered spacewalk using a nitrogen-propelled Manned Manoeuvring Unit (MMU). During the STS-41-B Space Shuttle Mission, McCandless floated 91 meters (300 feet) from the Shuttle Challenger, showcasing the MMU’s capabilities and setting a new precedent for space mobility.

Space Salvage with a Twist

Later in 1984, astronauts Dale Gardner and Joseph Allen conducted the first space salvage mission, retrieving faulty satellites from orbit. Using the MMU, Allen maneuvered to the Palapa B-2 satellite, which had failed to reach its intended orbit, and inserted a capture device to stabilize it. The mission, dubbed a "scrap-yard salvage," successfully returned the satellites to the Space Shuttle’s cargo bay.

Astronaut waves during a spacewalk outside of the International Space Station (Credits: NASA) NASA never ceases to amaze us with its incredible accomplishments in space exploration. And this time, they’re making headlines again with a series of upcoming spacewalks aboard the International Space Station (ISS). These spacewalks, scheduled for June, aim to conduct vital repairs and upgrades to…