Spacewalking: Here are All the Facts You Need
Several decades ago, only space scientists could travel to space, and it was through top government agencies like NASA. For everyone else, such excursions were only experienced through fiction films.
At the start of the 21st century, Space Scientists in Russia broke the ice by carrying the first tourist, Dennis Tito, to space. Although he paid a lot of money, about US$20 million, he helped fling open the door to space tourism. Now there is no going back as traveling to space is expected to become the norm.
A number of companies, from Virgin Galactic to Blue Origin, are busy trying to make space travel to the next level. This has also caused a frenzy for different space traveling-related activities. Most people want to experience weightlessness, but it is spacewalking that is in higher demand. So, here is a closer look.
Understanding Spacewalking
As the name spacewalking suggests, it is all about walking while in space. You are considered to be walking in space immediately you get out from the space vehicle in space. It is an experience that is so amazing.
Alexei Leonov, one of the top astronauts, was the first person to spacewalk. He did it only for a couple of minutes, about ten minutes. However, other astronauts after him spacewalked for longer, and now it is time for space tourists.
Is Space Walking Safe?
Now to the big question, “is spacewalking safe?” Spacewalking is a very risky undertaking. When designing space vehicles, a lot of effort is devoted to making the chambers for travelers safe. For example, the materials help to protect space vehicle’s occupants from excess heat, cold, and radiation. Therefore, the moment you step outside the space vehicle, exposure to a long list of risks opens. The biggest concern is cosmic radiation.
To protect people who want to spacewalk from hazards, they need to have specialized gear. For example, pressurized suits reduce exposure to harmful radiation, while oxygen tanks help to supply oxygen. Most space-traveling companies are working on advanced rafts of safety measures to ensure that spacewalking is safe.
Space Tourism that Offers Spacewalking
For most people targeting space traveling, spacewalking is considered a high-priority task. Sure, space travel companies are working on giving you the best experience, but spacewalking comes with a lot of risks. Again, the protective gears that can make the activity safe are very expensive, and many companies are opting away because of high costs.
If the companies add protective gear into the space travel package, the price of tickets will go up by a high percentage. This could discourage more people from space tourism.
Do ALL Space Tourism Companies Offer Spacewalking?
As we have pointed out, the thrill of space tourism is unmatched. However, the requirement for space travel is very intense. Again, the cost would thrust too high. These considerations make most companies that are offering space traveling opt not to offer spacewalking.
Notably, as space traveling becomes more popular, more activities will be made available. According to Andrey Bokarev, spacewalking complexities are likely to get addressed with time, and travelers can expect to enjoy the activity. So, your expectation to finally spacewalk will become a reality as this new niche unfolds.