Wednesday, July 23, 2008

The Evolution of Space Suits

1. to allow the astronaut to breathe. and to offer a stable work enviornment and protection from the harsh realities of space.
2. the white reflects heat, and the white is visible against the dark backround of space
3. ILC Dover, INC
4. extravehicular mobility unit (EMU)
5. a fore runner of the space suit. it was originally developed for the crew of a high-flying aircraft. it was made of aluminum-coated nylon and rubber gloves.
6. Apollo space suits
7. The Apollo Program spanned 5 years, from 1967 to 1972, and included 12 manned flights. Apollo’s goals went beyond landing Americans on the Moon and returning them safely to Earth. The goals included:

-To establish the technology to meet other national interests in space
-To achieve preeminence in space for the United States
-To develop man’s capability to work in the lunar environment
8. The Apollo space suit was designed to allow astronauts to venture outside of the spacecraft. Apollo space suit mobility was improved over earlier suits by use of molded rubber joints at the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. Modifications to the suit waist for Apollo 15 through 17 missions added flexibility making it easier for crewmen to sit on the lunar rover vehicle.

From the skin out, the Apollo A7LB space suit began with an astronaut-worn liquid-cooling garment, similar to a pair of long johns with a network of spaghetti-like tubing sewn onto the fabric. Cool water, circulating through the tubing, transferred metabolic heat from the Moon explorer's body to the backpack and into space.

Apollo space helmets were formed from high strength polycarbonate and were attached to the space suit by a pressure-sealing neck-ring. Unlike Mercury and Gemini helmets, which were closely fitted and moved with the crewman's head, the Apollo helmet was fixed, and the head was free to move within. While walking on the Moon, Apollo crewmen wore an outer visor assembly over the helmet to shield against eye damaging ultraviolet radiation and to maintain head and face thermal comfort.

Completing the Moon explorer's ensemble were lunar gloves and boots, both designed for the rigors of exploring, and the gloves for adjusting sensitive instruments. The new Apollo space suit was the first to have its own life support system rather than being dependent on an umbilical connection to the spacecraft.
9. The second U.S. manned space program was announced in January 1962. Its two-man crew gave it its name, Gemini, for the third constellation of the Zodiac and its twin stars, Castor and Pollux. Gemini involved 12 flights, including two unmanned flight tests of the equipment. Its major objectives were:

-To subject man and equipment to space flight up to 2 weeks in duration
-To rendezvous and dock with orbiting vehicles and to maneuver the docked combination by using the target vehicle's propulsion system
-To perfect methods of entering the atmosphere and landing at a preselected point on land
10. The Gemini space suit used a combination bladder-link net construction in an effort to make the whole suit flexible when pressurized. Unlike the Mercury suit, pressurization was necessary for Gemini flights, because astronauts would be outside the spacecraft performing space walk. Improved arm and shoulder mobility also resulted from the multi-layer design of the Gemini suit.
11. Initiated in 1958 and completed in 1963, Project Mercury was the United States' first man-in-space program. The objectives of the program, which made six manned flights from 1961 to 1963, were:

-To orbit a manned spacecraft around Earth
-To investigate man's ability to function in space
-To recover both man and spacecraft safely
12. The Mercury space suit was a modified version of a U.S. Navy high-altitude jet aircraft pressure suit. It consisted of an inner layer of Neoprene-coated nylon fabric and a restraint outer layer of aluminized nylon. Joint mobility at the elbow and knees was provided by simple fabric break lines sewn into the suit; but even with these break lines, it was difficult for a pilot to bend his arms or legs against the force of a pressurized suit. As an elbow or knee joint was bent, the suit joints folded in on themselves reducing suit internal volume and increasing pressure.
13. The ISS is an exciting gateway to new frontiers in human space exploration, meeting the deep-seated need of men and women throughout history to explore the unknown, to understand their world and the universe, and to apply that knowledge for the benefit of all here on Earth. The ISS is a unique world-class laboratory providing an international platform for advances in science and technology.

Six main laboratories will house research facilities:

-Two U.S. laboratories—a laboratory module called “Destiny” and a Centrifuge Accommodations Module (CAM)
-One European Space Agency (ESA) laboratory named “Columbus”
-One Japanese Experiment Module named “Kibo”
-Two Russian Research Modules
14. big and bubbly
15. The Apollo space suit began with a garment that used water as a coolant. The garment is similar to long johns but laced with a network of thin plastic tubing. The tubing circulated cooling water around the astronaut to prevent overheating. A multi-layered pressure garment was worn on top of the cooling suit. The innermost layer of this garment was a comfort layer of lightweight nylon with fabric ventilation ducts. On top of this was a layer of neoprene-coated nylon surrounded by a nylon restraint layer. This layer contained the pressure inside the suit.
16. PLSS stands for primary life support system. The PLSS consists of a backpack unit permanently mounted to the hard upper torso of the suit and a control-and-display unit mounted on the suit chest. The backpack unit supplies oxygen for breathing, suit pressurization, and ventilation. The unit also cools and circulates water used in the liquid cooling ventilation garment, controls ventilation gas temperature, absorbs carbon dioxide, and removes odors from the suit atmosphere. The secondary oxygen pack attaches to the bottom of the PLSS and supplies oxygen if the primary oxygen fails. The control-and-display unit allows the crew member to control and monitor the PLSS, the secondary oxygen pack, and, when attached, the manned maneuvering unit.
17. An adult-sized diaper with extra absorption material is used.
18. Space suits have a minimum 8-year life expectancy.
19. Gemini space suit
20. better fitting. nicer looking. cordless.

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