For more than 25 years, Mark Elder has helped make human spaceflight safe and possible. As the Spacewalk Hardware Manager for the International Space Station in the Extravehicular Activities Directorate (EVA) for the Human Space Escape and Ground Mobility program, he leads the team responsible for the suits, instruments and logistics that ensure astronaut protection during spacewalks and ensures NASA's readiness for the next era of space exploration. Artemis intelligence.
His team is responsible for the software of the EMU suit. This means that every bolt, bearing and battery that astronauts rely on outside the International Space Station ends up under their care. He also oversees the Space Exploration Operations contract, which provides engineering and technical support to keep spacesuit systems flight-ready.
Elder's work directly supports every spacewalk or extravehicular activity conducted on the station. His team coordinates with astronauts, engineers and Mission Control in Houston to ensure suits and instruments perform reliably in the harshest environments imaginable. Their work helps ensure the safe and successful conduct of every spacewalk.
Elder's passion for NASA began at an early age.
“When I was little, my parents gave me a book called ‘Astronauts,’” he said. “There were blueprints for a reusable spacecraft – a spaceship – and I fell in love with it. From then on, I told everyone I was going to work for NASA.”
This dream came true at age 16 when he attended the Space Academy in Huntsville, Alabama. “It solidified my dream of one day working for NASA and taught me a little more about the different roles at the agency,” he said.
While attending Case Western Reserve University as a mechanical engineering student, he learned of a new NASA program that allowed college students to design and perform an experiment and then come to the Johnson Space Center for a week to conduct their experiment on a Boeing KC-135 stratotanker. “I jumped at the chance to be part of the team,” he said. “This experience further strengthened my dream of one day working for NASA, specifically Johnson.”
After graduation, Elder worked for 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 United Technologies was Hamilton Sundstrand, which was the prime contractor for the spacesuit,” he said. “I jumped at the opportunity to transfer and my NASA career finally began.”
Elder spent his first three years at Johnson checking tool compliance on spacewalk equipment, which gave him hands-on experience with nearly all of the tools he eventually became responsible for as equipment manager.
His early years coincided with the shuttle's return to flight, when he worked on repairs to reinforced carbon-carbon panels and thermal protection systems. This experience laid his technical foundation and prepared him for future leadership positions.
Over time, Elder took on increasingly complex assignments and eventually led the team that developed the EVA Long Life Battery, the first lithium battery designed for human use in space. His team developed a rigorous test plan to certify the battery for human spaceflight at a time when lithium batteries were under scrutiny for safety.
“Finally signing the certification papers was satisfying, but watching the battery-powered spacewalk brought a huge sense of pride,” he said.
This innovation laid the foundation for future generations of even safer, higher-capacity batteries that power today's spacewalk missions and will eventually support activities on the lunar surface.
Looking back, Elder said some of his greatest lessons came from learning to lead with purpose. “The great thing about NASA is the highly motivated and dedicated people we have,” he said. “When I first became a team leader, I thought success meant making quick decisions and moving quickly. I learned that leadership is about listening. Strong teams are built on trust and open communication.”
Another defining lesson, he says, is the ability to assume positive intentions. “In a place like NASA, everyone is deeply passionate about what they do,” he said. “It's easy to mistake disagreement for opposition, but when you remember that everyone is working toward the same goal, the conversation changes. You focus on solving problems rather than winning the argument.”
This mindset has helped Elder implement some of NASA's most complex programs and helped him build strong partnerships throughout the agency.
Today, Elder's work extends beyond the orbiting laboratory. As NASA prepares for the Artemis mission to the Moon, its team's experience in maintaining and improving EMUs is being used to develop the next generation of exploration suits.
“The foundation we've built on the space station is critical to the future,” he said. “Every tool we've improved, every system we've upgraded, it all impacts how we operate on the surface of the Moon and ultimately on Mars.”
Elder believes the key to future success lies in persistence. He advises the next generation to never stop dreaming. “My path was not straight and it would have been easy for me to give up,” he said. “But dreams can guide you if you don’t let them go.”
When not supporting these missions, Elder's creativity takes shape in his workshop. “In my free time, I like to work with wood,” he said. “Building something useful out of a pile of rough wood helps me calm down and gives me a great sense of accomplishment. I love that I can build furniture for my family,” he added after recently finishing a desk for his youngest son.
The same patience and precision he brings to woodworking defines his approach to research—steady progress, meticulous craftsmanship, and attention to detail. “As NASA goes to the Moon and Mars, there will be problems,” Elder said. “As long as we continue to dream, we will see the next generation walking on the moon and heading to Mars.”
