NASA’s celebration of 50 years of spacewalking, or extravehicular activity, continues July 11 with a visit to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston. NASA will share Apollo-era artifacts, current space suit hardware and hands-on interactive family activities.
Former NASA astronaut Clay Anderson will be on hand to discuss his experiences in space as NASA continues its “SuitUp with NASA” events and activities.
NASA astronaut Ed White conducted the first US spacewalk on June 3, 1965, during the Gemini 4 mission. Russian cosmonaut Alexei Leonov was the first human to conduct a spacewalk March 18, 1965.
President John F. Kennedy played a crucial role in the early accomplishments of the U.S. space program, including the Apollo missions. Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first astronauts to land on the moon on July 20, 1969, fulfilling the promise of President Kennedy to send humans to the moon and return them safely to Earth by the end of the decade.
Spacewalks have been indispensable to the assembly and operation of the global International Space Station partnership, and will remain an important facet of future exploration efforts. As NASA sets its sights on the journey to Mars, it recognizes the challenge set by President Kennedy and looks forward to international cooperation as it develops innovative design solutions for spacecraft and spacesuits that will protect future crews from the Red Planet’s harsh environment.
For the first time since 1982, NASA is in the process of evaluating and testing new suit prototype designs for their ability to support the journey to Mars. The new designs will advance the state of the art for extravehicular activity, improving mobility, flexibility, range and reliability.
Boston residents are invited to #SuitUp with NASA at the John. F. Kennedy Library in Boston for an out-of-this-world experience and opportunity to immerse yourself in space exploration through our mobile exhibit and the opportunity to touch a moon rock.
For more information about the 50th Anniversary of Spacewalking and to join the conversation, please visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/suitup
http://www.facebook.com/NASAJSC
http://www.twitter.com/NASA_Johnson
http://www.instagram.com/nasajohnson
http://www.youtube.com/reelnasa
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Cynthia Rando
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281-483-5111
cynthia.m.rando@nasa.gov