Spacewalk Pop-Up
- Astronaut Shane Kimbrough performed nine spacewalks during his three spaceflights, including a notable one on Jan. 13, 2017.
- Spacewalks are crucial for maintenance, equipment installation, and science experiment deployment at the International Space Station.
- The activities inform future missions like Artemis and Mars exploration through NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program.
- The program develops next-generation spacesuits, human-rated rovers, and tools to support spacewalking in microgravity and on other planets.
- Spacewalks are essential for advancing our understanding of space travel and preparing for future lunar and planetary missions.
Former NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough is photographed as he left the airlock hatch during a spacewalk on Jan. 13, 2017. Kimbrough performed nine spacewalks during his three spaceflights. He retired in July 2022.
Astronauts conduct spacewalks to perform maintenance on the space station, install new equipment, or deploy science experiments. These activities also inform future missions like the Artemis campaign and exploring Mars; through NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program, the agency develops next-generation spacesuits, human-rated rovers (pressurized and unpressurized), and tools, along with all the necessary spacewalking support systems for use in microgravity, on the lunar surface and, eventually, on other planets.
Learn more about spacewalks at the International Space Station.
Image credit: NASA
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Q. Who is Shane Kimbrough?
A. Shane Kimbrough is a former NASA astronaut.
Q. How many spacewalks did Shane Kimbrough perform during his three spaceflights?
A. Shane Kimbrough performed nine spacewalks during his three spaceflights.
Q. Why do astronauts conduct spacewalks?
A. Astronauts conduct spacewalks to perform maintenance, install new equipment, or deploy science experiments.
Q. What is the purpose of NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program?
A. The agency develops next-generation spacesuits, human-rated rovers, tools, and support systems for use in microgravity, on the lunar surface, and other planets.
Q. What are some of the activities that astronauts conduct during spacewalks?
A. Astronauts perform maintenance, install new equipment, or deploy science experiments during spacewalks.
Q. How does NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program relate to future missions like Artemis?
A. The program informs future missions like the Artemis campaign by developing necessary technologies for exploring Mars.
Q. What is the Artemis campaign?
A. The Artemis campaign is a mission to explore Mars, with NASA developing necessary technologies through its Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program.
Q. Why are spacewalks important for astronauts?
A. Spacewalks allow astronauts to perform critical tasks in microgravity environments, such as maintaining the International Space Station or deploying science experiments.
Q. What is the International Space Station used for?
A. The International Space Station serves as a research laboratory and observatory in orbit around Earth, with spacewalks conducted to maintain and upgrade its systems.
Q. Who developed next-generation spacesuits through NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program?
A. NASA develops next-generation spacesuits through its Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program.
