Why in news?
NASA successfully tested the assembly of the Lunar Evacuation system for its future mission to Moon in 2024.
The system
- LESA developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), is a pyramid-like structure used for rescuing an injured astronaut on the lunar surface.
- Astronauts could not carry their fallen crewmate over their shoulder while wearing a heavy extravehicular activity (EVA) suit as they tend to get injured easily.
- LESA enables an astronaut to lift their crewmate onto a mobile stretcher in less than 10 minutes, before carrying them to the safety of a nearby pressurized lander.
- LESA can be operated by a single astronaut to rescue a fallen colleague. It helps an astronaut to lift their crewmate in less than 10 minutes onto a mobile stretcher before moving them to a nearby pressurized lander’s safety.
