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Description
The Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) is essentially a small frame with rockets mounted on it. It was developed by NASA in the 1980s and was first used in 1984. The MMU straps onto a regular space suit and allows astronauts to perform extra-vehicular activity (EVA) at greater distances from the Space Shuttle than would be permitted with a tether. It weighs 326 pounds fully loaded with propellant, so it can only be used in space. The loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986 and the development of robotic arms led NASA to retire the MMU. MMU No. 3 is on display in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

Description
The Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) is essentially a small frame with rockets mounted on it. It was developed by NASA in the 1980s and was first used in 1984. The MMU straps onto a regular space suit and allows astronauts to perform extra-vehicular activity (EVA) at greater distances from the Space Shuttle than would be permitted with a tether. It weighs 326 pounds fully loaded with propellant, so it can only be used in space. The loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986 and the development of robotic arms led NASA to retire the MMU. MMU No. 3 is on display in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.