Mark Elder: Building the Future of Spacewalking for Artemis and Beyond
For more than 25 years, Mark Elder has helped make human spaceflight safe and possible. As the International Space Station EVA Hardware Manager in the Surface EVA and Human Mobility Program’s Extravehicular Activities (EVA) Office, he leads the team responsible for the spacesuits, tools and logistics that keep astronauts protected during spacewalks and ensures NASA is ready for the next era of Artemis exploration.
His team is responsible for the Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or EMU, spacesuit program. This means that every bolt, bearing and battery that astronauts depend on outside the International Space Station ultimately falls under their watch. He also oversees the EVA Space Operations contract, which provides engineering and technical support to get spacesuit systems ready to fly.
Elder’s work directly supports every EVA, or spacewalk, performed at the station. His team coordinates with astronauts, engineers and the Houston Mission Control Center to ensure suits and tools operate reliably in the most unforgiving environment imaginable. Their work helps ensure that every EVA is conducted safely and successfully.
Elder’s passion for NASA began at a young age.
“When I was little, my parents gave me a book called ‘The Astronauts,’” he said. “There were drawings of a reusable spacecraft – the Space Shuttle – and I fell in love with it. From that point on, I told everyone I was going to work at NASA.”
This dream began at the age of 16, while attending Space Academy in Huntsville, Alabama. “It cemented my dream of one day working at NASA and taught me a little more about the different roles within the agency,” he said.
While attending Case Western Reserve University as a mechanical engineering student, he learned about a new NASA program that allowed students to design and build an experiment and then come to Johnson Space Center for a week to fly their experiment on the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker. “I jumped at the chance to be part of the team,” he said. “This experience further solidified my dream of one day working at NASA, Johnson in particular.”
After graduating, Elder worked with Pratt & Whitney on jet engines. Although the experience was invaluable, he knew his heart belonged to human spaceflight. “I learned that one of Pratt’s partner companies under the United Technologies umbrella was Hamilton Sundstrand, which was the prime contractor for the spacesuit,” he said. “I jumped at the chance to change positions and my career at NASA has finally begun.”
Elder spent his first three years at Johnson performing tool-to-tool fit checks on spacewalk equipment, giving him hands-on experience with almost every tool he would eventually become responsible for as equipment manager.
His early years coincided with the shuttle return-to-flight era, when he worked on carbon-carbon reinforced panel repairs and thermal protection systems. These experiences built his technical foundation and prepared him for the leadership roles to come.
Over time, Elder took on increasingly complex missions, eventually leading the team that developed the EVA Long Life Battery, the first human-grade lithium battery used in space. His team created a rigorous testing plan to certify the battery for human spaceflight at a time when lithium batteries were under scrutiny for safety concerns.
“Finally signing the certification documents was satisfying, but looking at an EVA powered by the batteries gave a great sense of pride,” he said.
This innovation paved the way for future generations of even safer, higher-capacity batteries that will power current spacewalk operations and ultimately support activities on the Moon’s surface.
Looking back, Elder said some of his greatest lessons came from learning how to lead with purpose. “The great thing about NASA is its highly motivated and dedicated workforce,” he said. “When I became a team leader, I thought success meant making quick decisions and acting fast. I learned that leadership is really about listening. Strong teams are built on trust and open communication.”
Another defining lesson, he said, was learning to assume positive intention. “At a place like NASA, everyone is deeply passionate about what they do,” he said. “It’s easy to misinterpret disagreement as opposition, but when you remember that everyone is working toward the same goal, the conversation changes. You focus on solving problems, not winning arguments.”
This mindset has guided Elder through some of NASA’s most complex programs and helped him build lasting partnerships within the agency.
Today, Elder’s work extends beyond the orbiting laboratory. As NASA prepares for Artemis missions to the Moon, its team’s experience maintaining and improving the EMU is informing the design of next-generation exploration suits.
“The foundation we have built on the space station is essential for the future,” he said. “Every tool we’ve refined, every system we’ve upgraded, it all influences how we will operate on the lunar surface and eventually on Mars.”
Elder believes the key to future success lies in perseverance. He advises the next generation to never stop dreaming. “My path was not direct and it would have been easy for me to give up,” he said. “But dreams have a way of guiding you if you don’t let them go.”
When he’s not supporting these missions, Elder’s creativity takes shape in his studio. “In my spare time, I love working with wood,” he says. “Building something useful from a pile of roughly sawn planks helps calm me down and gives me a great sense of accomplishment. I love being able to build furniture for my family,” he added, having recently completed a desk for his youngest son.
The same patience and precision he brings to woodworking define his approach to exploration: constant progress, careful craftsmanship, and attention to detail. “As NASA goes to the Moon and Mars, there will be challenges,” Elder said. “As long as we continue to dream, we will see the next generation walk on the Moon and head to Mars.”
