NASA Just Made ‘Her-story’ …
On October 18th, this particular spacewalk became a monumental one because it’s “breaking the galactic glass ceiling” by being the first one conducted entirely by women.
On the 221st spacewalk in support of the space station assembly, NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir will be replacing a battery/discharge unit that failed to activate on the space station’s exterior. This particular unit is one of many that regulates the solar energy collection charge put into the new batteries that were just installed on October 11th. Thankfully, the unit’s activation failure didn’t hinder station operations or endanger the crew, but once this unit is replaced, the new batteries will be able to provide increased station power.
This milestone, along the road to bringing the first woman and next man on the moon by 2024 through NASA’s Artemis Lunar Exploration Program, is sure to inspire students everywhere, especially young girls who’ve always dreamed of becoming astronauts. Now, they could see themselves on the way to the moon, and perhaps, beyond.
More updates about the spacewalk and as well as additional information about the International Space Station can be found on NASA’s blog.
Newly Revealed Spacesuits for Artemis Moon Mission Set for 2024
Two suits were unveiled; one for transit “Orion Crew Survival Suit (OCSS),” also known as a flight or launch and entry suit, and a suit for moon-based activities (Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit), called the ‘xEMU’ variant. The Orion suit is lighter and made to be worn during take-off and landing; the suit will be depressurized when in use but can provide protection in the event of accidental depressurization, as well as thermal and radiation protection. The xEMU suit is made to withstand and survive temperatures that range from -250- and +250-degrees Fahrenheit.
The design’s greatest feature is that of increased flexibility and mobility, allowing astronauts to actually “moon walk” more easily compared to older model suits that was more of a “bunny hop” on Apollo mission with Buzz Aldrin.
Another feature is its inclusive nature, the suit is made to accommodate any sizing and body type.
Artemis and The Next Era of Space Exploration
Artemis comes from the name of the Greek sun god Apollo’s lunar twin sister, and this next mission is justly named after the Greek goddess of the moon.
The upcoming mission to the Moon represents new galactic grounds to be forged, including the first woman on the Moon and American astronauts’ first step onto the Moon’s South Pole, which is a location that no human has ever been before. The accumulated knowledge from the Artemis mission will be used to establish more sustainable missions and to be one step closer to sending humans to Mars.
NASA plans to launch two missions prior to the Moon landing to test their deep space systems. The Artemis 1 is set to launch in 2020 with no crew. The Artemis 2 with an on-board crew is targeted for 2022. And finally, the Artemis 3 is planned for 2024 with the first woman and next man on the Moon.
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