NASA’s Spacesuit of the Future

Image Credit: NASA

         NASA recently awarded a contract to Oceaneering International Inc. of Houston, for the design, development and production of two new spacesuit systems, which will meet the requirements of Orion missions to the space station and to the moon.   The suit pictured above will support dynamic events such as launch and landing operations and will protect astronauts during Constellation Program voyages to the International Space Station and, by 2020, the surface of the moon. 

     The cost-plus-award-fee spacesuit contract includes a basic performance period from June 2008 to September 2014 that has a value of $183.8 million. During the performance period, Oceaneering and its subcontractors will conduct design, development, test, and evaluation work culminating in the manufacture, assembly, and first flight of the suit components needed for astronauts aboard the Orion crew exploration vehicle. The basic contract also includes initial work on the suit design needed for the lunar surface.

 The second spacesuit will build upon the first and will support lunar surface operations.  For short trips to the moon, the suit design will support a week’s worth of moon walks. The system also must be designed to support a significant number of moon walks during potential six-month lunar outpost expeditions. In addition, the spacesuit and support systems will provide contingency spacewalk capability and protection against the launch and landing environment, such as spacecraft cabin leaks. more

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