Terrifying Footage Shows Untethered Astronaut Capturing a Satellite

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Terrifying Footage Shows Untethered Astronaut Capturing a Satellite

Astronaut Dale Gardner wearing a jet pack-style MMU uses a “stinger” to grab hold of a defective satellite in 1984.

For this week’s historical Friday feature, we are traveling to space to recap remarkable video and photographs showing a NASA astronaut flying untethered miles above Earth that have recently caught the imagination of Reddit.

Dale Gardner’s daring spacewalk on November 14, 1984, was to recover a stranded communication satellite and is perhaps one of the most visually striking extravehicular activities of the Space Shuttle era.

The event took place during the STS-51-A mission aboard Space Shuttle Discovery, which launched on November 8. This mission was unique because it was the first (and so far, only) spaceflight dedicated to retrieving and returning malfunctioning satellites from orbit.

Gardner and fellow astronaut Joseph Allen flew untethered to recover two communication satellites: Palapa B2 and Westar 6. Due to rocket failure, the two satellites had failed to find their correct orbits, so NASA decided to send astronauts in spacesuits and Manned Maneuvering Units (MMUs) to retrieve them.

A solitary satellite, dark with a golden segment, drifts above Earth against a backdrop of white clouds and blue oceans, with space's blackness framing the scene. — The footage that has been doing the rounds on Reddit shows Gardner (pictured) gliding up to Westar 6, which belonged to Western Union.

A satellite orbits above Earth, its metallic structure visible against the dark backdrop of space. Below, Earth spans in a vast blue expanse, with swirling white clouds and hints of land visible. — Don’t look down. Gardner approaches the satellite with a spike.

An astronaut performs a spacewalk near a spacecraft with Earth visible in the background. The horizon shows a clear divide between the blue and white surface of Earth and the blackness of space. A robotic arm extends from the spacecraft. — NASA

“After Hauck and Walker piloted Discovery to within 35 feet of Palapa, Allen and Gardner exited the airlock to begin the spacewalk portion of the satellite capture,” NASA explains in a retrospective.

“Allen donned the MMU mounted on the side wall of the cargo bay, attached the stinger [a custom-built capture device] to its arms, and flew out to Palapa. Once there, he inserted the stinger into the satellite’s Apogee Kick Motor bell and, using the MMU’s attitude control system, stopped Palapa’s spin.”

A group of five astronauts in blue NASA uniforms pose with a bald eagle. Four stand while one sits, with the eagle perched on a rock in the center. An American flag is visible in the background. — The STS-51-A mission crew. Left to right: Dale Gardner, mission specialist; David Walker, pilot; and mission specialists Anna Fisher and Joseph Allen. Seated is commander Frederick Hauck.

A satellite or spacecraft is floating above Earth against the backdrop of space. Below, the Earth is visible, partly covered with clouds and a clear horizon line. The blackness of space contrasts with the blue and white of the planet. — Astronaut Joseph Allen captured the Palapa B2 satellite.

Two astronauts in space suits work on a satellite against the backdrop of Earth. They are tethered and appear to be performing repairs or maintenance. Clouds and ocean are visible on the planet's surface below. — Gardner and Allen maneuver the Westar satellite into the payload bay.

“Fisher then steered the Remote Manipulator System (RMS) to capture a grapple fixture mounted on the stinger between Allen and the satellite. She then maneuvered them over the payload bay, where Gardner waited to remove its omnidirectional antenna and install the bridge structure,” NASA continues.

“However, Gardner could not attach the Antenna Bridge Structure (ABS) to the satellite due to an unexpected clearance issue on the satellite. Using a backup plan, Allen undocked from the stinger, leaving it attached to the satellite as well as the RMS, and stowed the MMU in the payload bay. With Allen now holding the satellite by its antenna, Gardner attached an adapter to the bottom end of the satellite to secure it in its cradle in the payload bay.”

As IFL Science notes, the most famous photos of astronauts operating MMUs on spacewalks are of Bruce McCandless II, who flew from the space shuttle Challenger on February 7, 1984. But while lesser known, the images of Gardner and Allen are arguably more impressive as they wrestle with large satellites while traveling at 17,500 miles per hour.

An astronaut in a spacesuit is floating in space near a spacecraft, holding a sign that reads "FOR SALE." The Earth is visible in the background with clouds and the blue atmosphere. — After successfully collecting the stricken satellites, Gardner famously posed for a photo holding up a “For Sale” sign in his hand, jokingly referring to the broken Westar 6, which can be seen in the lower right corner.

Two astronauts conduct a spacewalk outside a spacecraft. One stands on a robotic arm, and the other works nearby. Earth is visible in the background, contrasting against the blackness of space. — Gardner and Allen stand on the RMS arm with the “For Sale” sign.

It is a feat that is unlikely to ever be repeated. The jetpack-style MMU that Gardner and Allen used in 1984 was retired because of safety concerns. Modern astronauts rely on tethered spacewalks.

If a satellite needs rescuing today, it is far more likely that a robot would be sent, such as the Active Debris Removal by Astroscale-Japan (ADRAS-J).

Image credits: NASA

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