An outfit suitable for Mars

nature.com ^ | 08/16/05 | Kendall Powell

[KevinDavis]

The gas-pressurized space suits used by astronauts for space walks and moon landings would never work on Mars. That's the consensus, at least among astrobiologists and simulation experts at the Eighth International Mars Society Convention, which took place 11-14 August in Boulder, Colorado.

A solution, they say, may lie with an old idea.

The Mechanical Counter Pressure (MCP) suit aims to use elasticity to provide pressure instead. Paul Webb, a physician from Yellow Springs, Ohio originally proposed this idea in 1968, as a safer and more flexible alternative to the bulky Apollo mission suits. His idea didn't take flight until recently, however, when the US space programme began casting an eye towards the red planet.

[SandRat]

Read the end of the article and all I can say is eeeeeeeeuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!!!

Who wants to wear a suit designed by Sen "Depends" Leahey's uroligist.

[KevinDavis]

[MarkeyD]

Webb's suit has been tested in a pressure chamber at an air pressure close to martian levels, about the equivalent of 24,300 metres above Earth's sea level. A test subject managed to pedal a bicycle for an hour in these conditions.

Guess they will be taking mountain bikes to Mars.

[DB]

Are you sure that's suppose to be in meters???

That's about 80,000 feet or near the edge of space...

[Lokibob]

Sen. "Leaky" Leahey did not get his name because of depends problems.

He could not keep a secret when he was on the Senate Intelligence Committee. He was always leaking the intelligence to the press.

[Lokibob]

If I remember right, that is probably correct.

It seems to me that mars has an atmospheric pressure of 10-20 millibars which is earth pressure near 80,000 feet.

[Cogadh na Sith]

But it is reasonably comfortable so long as the air the astronaut breathes is pressurized to match the suit's constrictiveness.

Huh... Sounds like an Inzer brand powerlifting shirt for benchpressing, squats and deadlifting. Oof.

[SandRat]

With Sen "Depends" it all Depends on if he thinks it will make him look important if so he leaks

[Paradox]

Science catching up to Science Fiction. Several authors have proposed similar suits. Greg Bear, Dan Simmons, probably a whole host of others. It is a common sense idea actually.

[MarkeyD]

Not sure. It's a quote from the article. Sounded high to me too. I bet they meant feet.

[Paradox]

Mars air pressure varies from 6 to 10 millibars. Lets say 10 mb, just to be optimistic. That is roughly equivalent to earth pressures at 85,000 feet. Yup, that high up. Mars' atmosphere is barely there.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Take the clue from the Enterprise crew

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Of course, the Vulcan might be able to get away with just wearing a cranial life support system. Space may be dangerous but it can be quite beautiful.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Effects of prolonged high-energy radiation (Life Scale)

[Paradox]

Those look like old style pressure suits to me. I think the progression is expected to look more like this:

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Wow, that one on the right is beautiful. Hope there's enough heat translocation to take care of the extremities.

[Dominick]

I would wear the one on the right, except there would be a big bulge in the middle...

[DM1]

[fish hawk]

Beer belly huh?