Alexei Leonov was the first person to do a spacewalk in 1965 and Bruce McCandless II took the first untethered spacewalk during the 1984 Space Shuttle Challenger Mission. Later, some movies like “Allen: Covenant and Space Odyssey showed us what a spacewalk involves. But if you have ever dreamt of completing a spacewalk, space tourism might make the dream a reality soon. Still, we have to indicate that spacewalking is risky and requires preparation. Below is everything you need to know about spacewalks.
What is Spacewalking?
Spacewalking, also known as Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA, refers to the moment a person gets out of a space vehicle in space. Alexei Leonov’s spacewalk lasted for 10 minutes but since then many people particularly astronauts working on the International Space Station (ISS) have engaged in this activity.
Is Spacewalking Safe?
Spacewalking is a risky activity because it requires you to step outside the space vehicle, which is highly protected, and enter into a dangerous environment full of many risks, such as cosmic radiation. To make the EVA safe, people engaging in it have to use the right equipment. For instance, they should have enough oxygen to breathe until the spacewalk ends. They must also wear pressurized suits to prevent radiation from reaching their bodies.
Space travel companies also take additional steps to ensure that every spacewalk is safer. They require all space tourists engaging in it to be under strict full-time observation of a crew. Even more, the tourist has to be tethered to the space vehicle when spacewalking.
The Spacewalking Experience
When asked how it feels to spacewalk around the International Space Station, most astronauts display a dreamy look instantly. They may say how the view takes their breath away or the experience is what it feels to be “on top of the world.” Still, some prefer calling it a “once-in-a-lifetime experience that people should not miss.”
Spacewalks are not for the faint-hearted, particularly individuals afraid of heights. This is one way of putting it – you are floating in space tethered to a space vehicle. That is scary, right?
However, a spacewalk will allow you to capture timeless and priceless photos for your home album. In the future, people may use photos in journals, books, documentaries, and other works related to space. In other words, spacewalking will make you part of history.
Which Space Travel Companies Provide Spacewalking? Andrey Bokarev
Spacewalking is a complex activity that comes with many huge risks. Besides, the required training and protective equipment can be very expensive, meaning that spacewalks are expensive. For that reason, most space travel companies are not offering spacewalking activities currently. However,they might offer them in the future after more companies venture into the space tourism industry.
To agree with Andrey Bokarev, the introduction of manyspace tourism activities will attract more people, particularly those seeking a unique traveling experience. Keep in mind that the companies likely to offer spacewalking are those that offer orbital flights. Those offering suborbital flights take a few minutes in space and the time is not enough for spacewalking.
Most people traveling to space look forward to spacewalking. However, not every space tourism company allows its tourists to engage in this activity. Therefore, you have to identify a company that includes many activities, including spacewalking and photography, in its program. Engage in spacewalking only when you believe it is safe.
