The grueling logistics behind a single hour of orbital maintenance

Space · Published 13 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: A spacewalk is often viewed as a singular feat of bravery, but it is actually a massive logistical relay. For every hour an astronaut spends outside the station, a team of engineers and crew members must manage everything from water refilling to high-resolution video downlinking.

Spacewalks, or extravehicular activities (EVAs), are intensive operations that require meticulous preparation and post-mission recovery. During the Expedition 75 mission, for instance, the crew completed four spacewalks in a single month. These missions involved diverse tasks, such as installing spacecraft navigation aids, swabbing the station's exterior for microorganisms, and preparing cosmic particle detectors for future upgrades. One specific EVA involving Sophie Adenot and Jessica Meir lasted 6 hours and 49 minutes, highlighting the physical and temporal demands placed on the crew.

The success of these missions relies on a complex support network inside the station. While the primary spacewalkers are outside, flight engineers like Anil Menon perform critical maintenance, such as refilling spacesuit tanks with water and photographing suit gloves for inspection. Furthermore, they oversee data transmission by sending footage recorded by cameras on the astronauts' headgear back to terrestrial command centres. This ensures that the crew outside remains connected and that every movement is documented for safety and analysis.

Maintenance also involves heavy labor and hardware management. Beyond the EVA itself, crew members must swap out orbital plumbing components, uninstall gear from research incubators, and transfer cargo from spacecraft like the Cygnus XL. Once the high-intensity period concludes, the crew enters a recovery phase involving spacesuit cleaning and mandatory exercise. This cycle of high-stakes exterior work followed by rigorous internal maintenance is what keeps the International Space Station functional.

The diversity of equipment also varies by nation and mission. For example, Russian Orlan suits were used for tasks on the Zarya module, while U.S. spacesuits were utilized for work out of the Quest airlock. These distinct systems require specific expertise, from replacing fluid flow control panels to installing modification kits on the station's starboard truss structure to prepare for future solar array roll-outs.

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