“I thought that they were angels but to my surprise; they climbed aboard their Starship and headed for the skies.”
– Styx
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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SPACESUIT ARCHITECTURE
The spacesuit will incorporate an advanced design. Suit requirements include efficient operations in Earth orbit and on the lunar surface. Operations on the lunar surface are especially difficult due to the fine powder that is the lunar dirt which gets into everything.
ILC Dover company (www.ilcdover.com/...) has created a prototype of the spacesuit that checks off all of our requirements.
The Z–2 model spacesuit allows the astronaut to ingress and egress the spacesuit from the back, where the Portable Life Support System (PLSS) backpack is located. Once the astronaut has been snuggly fit, the PLSS is attached to the suit and a covering is placed over the PLSS to provide a tight seal. The astronaut then simply walks away (Image 1).
Image 1: Spacesuit detached from container
This design allows the spacesuit to remain outside in the vacuum of space, eliminating the need for a large airlock and creating more room inside a spacecraft. With this scenario, each spacesuit port acts as a mini airlock.
The spacesuit will have a maximum mass of 70 kilograms.
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SPACESUIT COMMAND AND CONTROL
The spacesuit will still be controlled by the astronaut using touchscreens on both sleeves. The suit can also be accessed remotely like any space vehicle.
The astronaut should be able to monitor:
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Air Pressure
- Nitrogen Levels
- Oxygen Levels
- Carbon Dioxide Level
- Battery Charge Level
- Drinking Water Level
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SPACESUIT LIFETIME
The spacesuit will be used multiple times per year. The lifetime of the suit is probably determined by the number of times it is used in orbit and on the lunar surface. The spacesuit will then be replaced, with the old spacesuit deleted from the fleet.
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SPACESUIT DISPOSAL
Once the spacesuit has reached its operational lifetime, it must be correctly disposed of.
The first few spacesuits will be brought down from space and displayed at the Spaceport America Museum that we plan to build in the future.
The other suits will most likely be discarded into a crater if on the lunar surface or burned up in the atmosphere if in Earth orbit.