Astronaut Dale Gardner recovering a satellite during an untethered space walk. (Photo: NASA)
Being an astronaut is one of the coolest jobs out there, but it’s not without its perils. And yet, it’s these leaps of faith that keep space exploration going—and the ones that make history. Over 300 astronauts and space tourists have performed spacewalks, but most have done so safely tied up to avoid being sucked into the vacuum of space. But four decades ago, a few astronauts tested untethered spacewalks, giving us some of the most unnerving space footage we’ve ever seen.
The year 1984 marked a key point in the history of space exploration: it was 20 years after astronauts started walking in space. That February, during the STS-41-B Space Shuttle mission, astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Bob Stewart performed the first untethered spacewalk. The pair leaped out of the Space Shuttle Challenger aided by their Manned Manoeuvring Unit (MMU). This nitrogen-propelled jetpack could be controlled using joysticks, as its 24 nitrogen thrusters allowed the astronauts to remain stable and move around in space.
At his maximum distance, McCandless flew 300ft from the Challenger while testing the MMU for the first time. His crew mates aboard the shuttle would take a video and picture that made headlines around the world. The image shows the astronaut as a tiny figure against the vast darkness of space. “It may have been one small step for Neil, but it’s a heck of a big leap for me,” McCandless said at the time.
The lessons from this spacewalk would come in handy months later. In November 1984, astronauts Dale Gardner and Joseph Allen put it to work when two faulty communication satellites, the Palapa B2 and Westar 6, failed to find their correct orbits due to rocket failure. Marking the first salvage mission performed in space, Allen went after the Palapa B2, while Gardner, equipped with a MMU, was dispatched from the Space Shuttle Discovery to retrieve the Westar 6.
A frightening picture (and accompanying video) shows Gardner maneuvering the satellite with the curvature of Earth beneath him. The astronaut performed this task with help from the Apogee Kick Motor Capture Device (ACD), otherwise known as the “stinger.” The device would allow Gardner to recover the satellite while piloting the MMU as he was completely detached from the shuttle. Once the satellites were safely inside the Discovery cargo bay, Gardner posed for a funny photograph holding a “for sale” sign, light-heartedly comparing the mission to a scrapyard endeavor.
The MMU was later retired due to safety concerns, and most spacewalks now have astronauts tethered. Should a satellite need rescuing today, a robot would most likely be tasked with its recovery. So, maybe this footage is all we’ll see of astronauts freely drifting into space. But with all the advances in private space exploration, we may see something new of the kind one day.
Untethered spacewalks have given us some of the most unnerving space footage out there, such as the famous image of astronaut Bruce McCandless II floating alone against the vast darkness of space.
Astronaut Bruce McCandless II floating untethered. (Photo: NASA)
Astronaut Dale Gardner also performed an untethered spacewalk to recover a satellite.
Astronaut Dale A. Gardner holding a ‘For Sale’ sign. (Photo: NASA)
Sources: Walking above the air: The awe-inspiring history of spacewalks; Astronaut Bruce McCandless Performs the First Untethered Spacewalk; Terrifying Footage Shows Untethered Astronaut Capturing a Satellite; 40 Years Ago: STS-51A – “The Ace Repo Company”
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