The biggest thing NASA’s first space suits had to do—aside from keep
astronauts alive—was to look spacey. So ordinary test-pilot suits were
simply redesigned in a nifty silver. Things are harder now as the U.S.
prepares for new deep-space missions. The Z-1 space suit provides
go-anywhere garb featuring more-flexible joints, radiation protection
for long stays in space and a hatch on the back that allows the suit to
dock with a portal on a spacecraft or rover so an astronaut can crawl
through without letting dust in or air out.
Inspired by
Toy Story, brought to you by NASA.
No,
that's not the tagline for NASA's next-generation spacesuits—although it
very well could be, as the astronaut attire bears a shocking
resemblance to Buzz Lightyear's suit in Disney Pixar's wildly popular
Toy Story film.
Just
like Buzz's signature suit, the new Z-1 Prototype Spacesuit and
Portable Life Support System 2.0 features fluorescent green stripes and a
transparent domed helmet (actual space-traveling ability sold
separately).
Named one of
Time magazine's inventions of the year, the new spacesuit is designed for deep-space missions and—dare we say—incorporates a little out-of-this-world flair.
This isn't the only Disney/NASA crossover as of late. The companies have
joined together
to create an educational experience centered around the flight of Buzz
Lightyear. The program is intended to encourage children and young
adults to develop an interest in space exploration and discovery.
The spacesuits used by NASA at present were designed in 1992 and were
fabricated especially for the crews that boarded space shuttle task
force as well as spent time in International Space Station (ISS).
But
with the recent retirement of space shuttle task force as well the goal
of the country to land on Mars, an asteroid as well as even beyond
that, NASA recognised that there was time to design
technologically-equipped as well as robust spacesuits for the
astronauts.
How is the spacesuit designed?
The spacesuit is
crafted out of various hard elements on the fabric. It also becomes
flexible after being inflated. On the rear of the suit, astronauts may
find the hatch and life support which would enable them to attach to
rover or spacecraft. Apart from all this, it has urethane-coated nylon
as well as polyester layers which enable the astronauts to maintain
pressure as well as get greater flexibility in torso and limbs.
Getting into the spacesuit
Astronauts
can get in this spacesuit via suitport which is basically a pack of
hatch and life support. There is no need of an airlock for seeking entry
or getting exit in and out of this suit. This means that it is possible
for the astronauts to make a quick entry and exit in and out of
spacesuit. This happens because the spacesuit operates at similar
pressure like that of spacecraft.
The spacesuit packs in itself
water membrane evaporation cooler which cools the suit through same
method like sweating. It does not use the recent technique that includes
sublimator which works only in hard vacuum.
