Slimming Down Future Spacesuits

Space.com ^ | 17 July 2007 | Tariq Malik

[jmcenanly]

Skintight spacesuits may give future astronauts a more flexible - not to mention stylish - way to explore the moon and Mars.

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are edging closer to a spaceworthy astronaut garment that replaces the bulky traits of current, gas-pressurized versions with flexibility and mobility. Dubbed BioSuit, the spacesuit design relies on mechanical counter pressure rather than the stiff pressurized vessels employed by astronauts in space today.

"You can't do much bending of the arms or legs in that type of suit," said Dava Newman, an MIT professor of aeronautics and astronauts leading the research, of current spacesuits used in Earth orbit.

Newman and colleague Jeffrey Hoffman, a former NASA astronaut and spacewalker, have been working with students and the design firm Trotti and Associates for seven years to build a viable BioSuit

[jmcenanly]

The final design of the suit is very similar to the suits worn by Olympic Skiers

[Bladerunnuh]

That is certainly one technology that hasn’t advanced at all. I hope they figure something out. Can’t lug 500 pounds around with you everywhere, and it always pains me to see the spacewalkers having to use a wrench or whatever in those big, bulky gloves. Impossible here on earth, certainly impossible in zero gravity.

[martin_fierro]

Aw heck yeah.

[SteveMcKing]

it always pains me to see the spacewalkers having to use a wrench or whatever in those big, bulky gloves.

And for every small twist of a wrench, a gyro somewhere on board has to compensate to keep the vehicle from tumbling. (In theory, no?)

[Wiseghy]

You can bet this would make a better suit for Bio/Chem warfare and environmental control as well. What are those Bagdad high temps again; 130 degs. or so?

[skimbell]

[wally_bert]

Wanda Ventham aka Colonel Lake

[RightWhale]

As a Doc Smith fan I would have to prefer about 100 tons of material between me and the vacuum.

[saganite]

Paging sbu commander TPol and 7 of 9. Report to the fitting room.

[norton]

My first thought was that they've closed the gap between science and B movies.

But, mind you, that's only a theory.

[skimbell]

?

[castlebrew]

ooooohhhhhh yyyeeeaaaaahhhhhh....

[jmcenanly]

Here i s a movie on the subject

http://www.thefutureschannel.com/dockets/space/second_skin/index.php