Spacewalk. American astronaut Leroy Chiao wearing a spacesuit gives a 'thumbs up' to indicate the success of his second spacewalk in 3 days. The spacewalk or Extravehicular Activity (EVA) took place from the Space Shuttle Endeavor on 17 January 1996 as part of Mission STS-72. The EVA was performed to evaluate space station assembly techniques. During the mission, which lasted from 11 January to 20 January 1996, another EVA was performed on 15 January. Two satellites were also recovered and returned to Earth. An EVA spacesuit provides an astronaut with an air supply, heating to protect from the cold of space and shielding from ultraviolet light from the Sun.