Ever since his launch into space in November 2020, NASA astronaut Victor Glover has reached celebrity status on Twitter. He is also becoming an inspiration for thousands as he keeps sharing his candid and honest posts about life outside Earth. While space agencies have often shared anecdotes of spacemen and women, Glover takes us earthlings into the vast cosmos on a very personal level. He is our surrogate to experience the amazement that lies beyond the confines of our planet; see and feel the things he does in real-time. His latest post about spacewalks is bound to make you feel a connection with the universe in a similar way.
Currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), Glover was the commander of historic flight SpaceX Dragon Crew 1 mission. In his latest Twitter post, Glover has shared what it’s like to have a spacewalk.
“Filled with gratitude for recently completing my first and second spacewalks – something I’ve rigorously trained for over the years. Working outside and seeing our vibrant Earth, so many stars, and much more of @Space_Station was worth the effort. Keep grinding! #MondayMotivation,” he wrote as caption for the pictures he shared featuring him on a brief expedition outside the ISS chambers.
The post has thousands of likes and replies, with queries and amazement from the people.
Wanted to know that during space walk, ofcourse you are also travelling, alongwith ISS, in that very very high speed. What do you feel ? How come your speed is same as that of ISS when you are in the air, only connected with a cord.— JKS (@JKS29290766) February 9, 2021
Some had very intriguing questions about the space like this one:
Wonder if it is possible to take images of the starry nightsky when you guys are racing at 17850 mph while you are on the nightside of our blue planet? Probably startrails should be possible. Have you tried that?— Andreas Prasch 😷🌍 (@AndiP_H2O) February 8, 2021
Those were fun to livestream! I saw your interview with @alroker this morning. So good to see you on the Today Show!— mgreek🌟🌟gypsy (@mgreek_gypsy) February 8, 2021
I’ve give anything to be in a EVA space suit 👨🚀 and go out of the ISS and hang on to the station and see earth 🌎 and ⭐️ stars, moon 🌚 and anything else I can see in space. I’m sure it’s one of the most beautiful wonderful moments of our lives. I enjoy watching you astronauts.— Dawn Cash (@DawnCas14175469) February 9, 2021
This genuine query of can you feel like falling when you are in a vacuum, without any environment or gravity?
Does being outside the ISS, and being more exposed, accentuate the sensation of free-falling? Or no different? Or do you feel like you are flying level (as can be experienced in a free-fall parachute jump) rather than falling?In other words: how f’ing amazing is it?— Matt Cordeux (@maughan67) February 9, 2021
Being an astronaut and exploring the universe as space cowboys is a dream almost shared universally by many children. This Tweet perfectly sums up the feeling.
Congratulations, I’m so envious. I have repeat dreams that I’m sleeping on the ISS, in front of the cupola. Savour every bit of it, if I can’t live my own dream I’m happy someone can. #GoSpace!— I am the “Radical Left” & we love America too. (@markblei) February 8, 2021
Congrats! You’re inspiring a new generation of STEM majors.🇺🇲🚀— Yasuke🇺🇸→🇯🇵 (@YasukeUSA2JPN) February 9, 2021
Congratulations, I can only imagine the hard work that led to nothing but your suit between you and the universe, Inspired stuff man— Dr DeBrillos (@DDebrillos) February 8, 2021
For the uninitiated, any work (maintenance or exploration) done outside the space station or a spacecraft, outside the limit of Earth’s perceptible atmosphere, can be defined as a spacewalk or more technically, extravehicular activity. Even though the astronauts are in space, they rarely are in contact with space as their operation takes place within the bounds of ISS.