Nico Marzian, Philip Metzger, Sarah McNulty, Anousheh Ansari, Ed Gibson NASA is developing new spacesuits for deep space missions to asteroids and the Mars system. Some of the new ones being proposed to NASA have designs on them. I am not an engineer, but in my imaginative estimation, a spacesuit should be white--virtually all over, or at least a non-absorbing color--preferably reflective. I don’t like the idea of dark colors on a spacesuit because space travel carries with it unexpected risks and endless opportunities for unknown circumstances wherein seeing the astronaut in reduced light conditions is important–or could be. Astronauts on EVA missions and even in-craft will encounter situations where maximum visibility and camera detection will be enhanced by reflective colors--or the lack of color--on the pressure suit. It makes no sense to me to put grey, dark, or absorbing colors on the exterior of a spacesuit–which, in shadow will create pixelation issues in video and digital media–not to mention in first-hand visibility situations between astronauts separated by great distances and in shadow. We have to apply imagination to its limits in planning missions to asteroids, to Phobos, Demos, and to Mars–in all areas; transport, stowage, unintended exterior rescue and repair at inopportune locations on trajectory, suit-replacement (say a surface suit must be donned in a zero-G EVA scenario), unexpected psychological situations, injury and location-loss, on surface, etc., etc.). On another note, we are considering rear-entry suits, such as the Russians have. The back of the suit has a door, which must be closed and sealed by another crew-member. I feel we have to move toward a suit that can be donned alone, and I realize that with present and past suits, astronauts have worked together in some aspect of donning their protective garments upper hard-shell torsos and lower sections, helmets, and gloves, but certainly in a rear-entry suits, more than one person is necessary--and this I feel will be a great disadvantage one day--should other astronauts be absent, incapacitated, or deceased. I feel there may be situations in transit to Mars or asteroids where a lone survivor may need to don a suit and with no one around, what is he or she to do? In yet another area of concern, I think new suits should involve a movable helmet, such as was used in Mercury and Gemini. I understand that the cushions in those helmets--which afforded helmet swivel--were likely confining and uncomfortable after a while, but that problem might be circumvented with a motorized rotation. The reason I think this is necessary is it takes longer, more energy, and altered orientation to turn oneself around simply to look in another direction. I understand NASA is almost beholden to selling space exploration to a public that is key to its funding and all too ignorant of the necessity of increased support for space travel, but fashion isnt the way to go in that area. Fashion in spacesuits also reduces the glamour of manned space travel--if not the safety--by passing it into the realm of the frivolous--however slightly. Keep space suits white, or silver, not just for visibility, but to keep them cool, to highlight the presence of foreign matter, and to help show damage. Space travel is light years ahead of everything else in the excitement department. No bells and whistles are necessary for window-dressing to make it more appealing--and could bring harm.s separated by great distances and in shadow. We have to apply imagination to its limits in planning missions to asteroids, to Phobos, Demos, and to Mars--in all areas; transport, stowage, unintended exterior rescue and repair at inopportune locations on trajectory, suit-replacement (say a surface suit must be donned in a zero-G EVA scenario), unexpected psychological situations, injury and location-loss, on surface, etc., etc.). On another note, I feel we have to move toward a suit that can be donned alone, and I realize that in present and past suits, astronauts work together in some aspect of donning their protective garments, but certainly in a rear-entry suit, more than one person is necessary. I feel there may be situations in transit to Mars or asteroids where a lone survivor may need to don a suit and with no one around, what is he or she to do? In yet another area of concern, I think new suits should involve a movable helmet, such as was used in Mercury and Apollo. I understand that the cushions in those helmets--which afforded helmet swivel--were likely confining and uncomfortable after a while, but that problem might be circumvented with a motorized rotation. The reason I think this is necessary is it takes longer, more energy, and altered orientation to turn oneself around simply to look in another direction. I understand NASA is almost beholden to selling space exploration to a public that is key to its funding and all too ignorant of the necessity of increased support for space travel, but fashion isnt the way to go in that area. Fashion in spacesuits also reduces the glamour of manned space travel--if not the safety--by passing it into the realm of the frivolous--however slightly. Keep space suits white, or silver, not just for visibility, but to keep them cool, to highlight the presence of foreign matter, and to help show damage. Space travel is light years ahead of everything else in the excitement department. No bells and whistles are necessary for window-dressing to make it more appealing--and could bring harm.
Posted on: Wed, 26 Mar 2014 03:00:38 +0000
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