"Jorge R. Frank" wrote in message ...
During a US EVA, the astronaut activates SAFER and flies back to station.
The Russian EVA suits do not yet have an analogous system.

"Ustanovka Samospasenya Kosmonavtov" (U.S.K.)?

http://www.flug-revue.rotor.com/FRhe...06/FR0306a.htm

Though was the USK onboard the I.S.S.?

http://au.geocities.com/kosmonavtka2/sea_eagle.html

They rely completely on dual-tether protocol to prevent this
from happening in the first place. EVA training puts a *strong*
emphasis on this. Like rock-climbing, job one is *always* to
know where your tethers are.

Rock climbing at a height of around 400 km. SAFER/USK or no SAFER/USK,
the tethers are very important. Jet backpacks after all is not
mandatory for high-rise building costruction, scaffolding on the other
hand.

Anyway. I don't think that they should let people do this sort of
things too much.

Humanoid robotic worker should be used, the space station be should
made as modular as possible, and most of the space station servicing
should be able be done from the inside.