The intense ground-based preparation required for life in low-Earth orbit

Space · Published 21 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Astronauts orbiting 250 miles above Earth at 17,500 miles per hour cannot simply step outside. To ensure safety during extravehicular activities, crews undergo extensive ground-based training. This preparation is vital for managing complex station maintenance, executing precise maneuvers, and mastering the emergency drills required to survive in low-Earth orbit.

Extravehicular activities, or EVAs, are critical for the continued functionality of the International Space Station. As the station orbits approximately 250 miles above Earth, astronauts must perform precise maneuvers to assemble and maintain its structure. This work is highly coordinated; for instance, during the STS-132 mission, specialists like Garrett Reisman, Steve Bowen, and Mike Good were scheduled to conduct two EVAs each, while Piers Sellers directed their movements from inside the station. These complex operations often involve delivering essential cargo, such as the Russian Mini Research Module Rassvet, to the station's growing infrastructure.

The margin for error during these excursions is non-imistent. Beyond the physical task of spacewalking, the crew must engage in rigorous emergency drills. These simulations involve practicing specific roles, such as managing procedures, gathering essential equipment, and closing hatches, all while maintaining constant communication with Mission Control on the ground. Such drills ensure that if a real crisis occurs, the crew can react with instinctive precision. This high-stakes communication loop is a cornerstone of safety during every mission.

Maintenance extends to the life-support hardware itself. Following a spacewalk, such as the 237th EVA involving astronauts Victor Glover and Michael Hopkins, flight engineers like Shannon Walker must perform post-spacewalk recharge maintenance on the Extravehicular Mobility Unit suits. This meticulous care of the suits is just as vital to mission success as the scientific experiments conducted by the rest of the crew, such as investigating alloy microstructures or monitoring station air quality. While some focus on suit maintenance, others like Soichi Noguchi handle hardware replacement in the cupola, and Kate Rubins manages ESA experiments on alloy evolution. Additionally, the crew utilizes tools like the Airborne Particulate Monitor to track air quality.

General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.

Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?

Related

• How NASA prepares astronauts for the extreme environment of a spacewalk in low-Earth orbit
• The grueling reality of life outside the International Space Station
• Precision and peril: how astronauts prepare for the void of space
• The high-stakes engineering of maintaining life in orbit
• Astronauts perform complex spacewalks to prepare the International Space Station for commercial spacecraft
• The high-stakes choreography of repairing life-support systems in orbit
• The high-stakes logistics of repairing a failing space station
• The high-stakes marathon of repairing a cooling system in orbit
• How microgravity is being used to manufacture human organs and retinas
• The invisible scaffolding of orbital logistics is being rebuilt by hand
• The International Space Station is becoming a laboratory for 3D printing
• How a modular laboratory transformed the future of human spaceflight

More in Space agencies · More in Space · Latest · A–Z · All topics