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Questions tagged [astronaut-propulsion]

Equipment that propels a suited astronaut during a spacewalk. Examples include the Manned Maneuvering Unit and SAFER.

7 votes
3 answers
583 views

Could an astronaut with a jump and a "jet pack" "jump" off of the Moon?

The initial naïve question was: "Could an astronaut with a jump and a "jet pack" "jump" off of the Moon?" :) For fun, let's assume the optimal circumstances: Gemini era ...
Martin Eckleben's user avatar
4 votes
0 answers
115 views

How were the Skylab "jet shoes" expected to maintain attitude?

Donald K. Slayton, MSC Director of Flight Crew Operations, requested that the proposed T-020 "Jet Shoes" experiment be removed from all AAP flights. The "Jet Shoes" experiment was ...
DrSheldon's user avatar
  • 48.1k
7 votes
6 answers
1k views

Could moon ice be used to fuel a steam powered jetpack for EVA in space or high altitude exploration on the moon?

For long term moon operations, would it be practical to have a jetpack that used steam as a source for EVA on the moon surface and above it in orbit? I imagine a scenario where lunar ice deposits ...
Fight Fire With Fire's user avatar
18 votes
1 answer
2k views

Are there any plans for handling people floating away during an EVA?

An EVA carries the risk that objects and people may become detached from the ship/structure and drift away from it. In the case of objects they might become a hazard or their loss might be a problem, ...
user's user avatar
  • 1,663
14 votes
1 answer
3k views

What is the farthest that a "human satellite" has been from their spacecraft?

There are several news items about the recent passing of astronaut Bruce McCandless II, and they generally refer to his work developing, and then using the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU). BBC: Bruce ...
uhoh's user avatar
  • 149k
36 votes
4 answers
4k views

The Loose Astronaut

A common point of drama in science fiction is the loss of a tether during a spacewalk threatening to (or actually causing) send an unlucky astronaut hurtling into space. In reality, is such a thing ...
Omaha's user avatar
  • 665
4 votes
4 answers
9k views

How do jetpacks work in space?

I've seen in some videos of astronauts that they used to use a jetpack type system to maneuver in the vacuum of space around the ISS and other satellites using pressurized gas. From Wikipedia ...
Premier Bromanov's user avatar
17 votes
1 answer
2k views

Why did NASA discontinue use of the MMU?

One of the comments on this recent question touched on the use of the Manned Maneuvering Unit. It seemed like a good idea at the time: a system that would allow astronauts to do EVA without being ...
Hobbes's user avatar
  • 128k
27 votes
3 answers
13k views

How do astronauts turn in space?

A recent question back in Physics asks whether there is a way for an astronaut to rotate when in microgravity and without touching anything else, while still conserving angular momentum. One way to ...
E.P.'s user avatar
  • 1,254
11 votes
1 answer
2k views

Could a harpoon-like gun be used by an astronaut to stop drifting away from a ship?

I saw the movie Gravity. Spoiler alert, hover with your mouse over the yellow bar below to reveal a part of the movie's plot: Why can't they have a gun kind-of thing with a string/rope? One end of ...
Ravi's user avatar
  • 253