Spacewalk Pop-Up: A Step Forward in Astronaut Training

Swift Summary

• Shane Kimbrough, a former NASA astronaut, performed nine spacewalks during his three spaceflights prior to retiring in July 2022.
• Spacewalks are conducted for purposes such as maintenance on the International Space Station, installation of new equipment, and deployment of scientific experiments.
• Insights from these activities support future missions like NASA’s Artemis campaign and Mars exploration initiatives.
• NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program is developing next-generation spacesuits, human-rated rovers (pressurized/unpressurized), tools, and support systems for microgravity environments or planetary surfaces like the Moon or Mars.

Image credit: NASA

Indian Opinion Analysis
India’s growing interest in space exploration under initiatives such as ISRO’s lunar missions aligns with global advancements spearheaded by agencies like NASA. Programs highlighted here underscore the complexity of long-term interplanetary goals requiring advanced technologies-spacesuits, rovers-and operational insights from decades of experience with spacewalks. As India progresses toward more elegant projects like Gaganyaan (manned mission) or planetary exploration efforts in collaboration with international stakeholders, learning from entities that have heavily invested in enabling human mobility beyond Earth is critical. Balanced investment between innovation in local technologies and partnerships with organizations sharing expertise remains pivotal for India to advance its role within aerospace leadership globally.

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