the limitations are and incorporating
changes that need to be made into
the next prototype.”
As we’ve mentioned, EVA suits
are not the only ones being looked
at: IVA suits are also being redesigned
as part of an ongoing process, and this has
led to innovations such as the xEMU-Lite, which
is earmarked for possible testing on the ISS by
the mid-2020s. Intended as a replacement for the
current EMUs, they’ll be vital if the space station’s
life is extended to the late 2020s. But they’re not
the only ones under development.
The Orion Crew Survival Systems Suit is being
designed for use in the next-generation human
spacecraft Orion, which aims to take humans
fartherthantheyhaveeverbeenbefore,andit’s
going to be equipped with a built-in toilet. This
would come in handy if the spacecraft capsule
depressurised, allowing the astronauts to remain in
theirsuitsforuptosixdays.
NASAisheavilyinvolvedinitscreation,andyet
private companies such as Final Frontier Design,
SpaceX and Boeing are also coming into their own
with regards to IVAs. Boeing, for example, tells us
that it has eschewed the existing ACES suits for its
Starlinerspacecraftbecauseitwantedahighlevel
of compatibility between the suit and capsule. The
new spacesuit offers greater pressurised mobility,
lighter weights, touchscreen-friendly gloves and
easy transitions from sitting to standing.“These features improve human
capability and performance and
ensure mission success while
working in the Starliner,” says Boeing
engineer Kavya Manyapu. “They’re
especially important during emergency
situations when astronauts would have to
perform critical functions.
“We wanted a suit that enhances their abilities,
rather than impedes their ability to perform
required actions. Examples include reaching and
pulling the abort handle if an abort is necessary
or reaching and opening oxygen valves from
within their pressurised suit in the event of a
cabin depressurisation. Additionally, in high-G
environments,thelighterthesuitthebetteritis.”
Even so, ACES is not being entirely abandoned.
As Madill tells us, NASA is considering making
a few tweaks in order to create the Modified
Advanced Crew Escape Suit (MACES). “It would
provide contingency EVA capability to all Orion
missions with mobility enhancements added to
the former Shuttle ACES suit,” Madill says. “MACES,
however, has potentially limited mobility, which
could increase crew fatigue and EVA task capability
when they’re using the suit.”
Such negatives are not unusual, and it’s fair
to say there will never be a perfect spacesuit. Of
course,thereisalistofdesires–“NASAreallywants
to see much more visibility, better mobility and
better control and communications in their next-Nobody knows the existing suits better than the astronauts who have worn them
“ We wanted a suit that enhances
abilities, rather than impedes the ability
to perform required actions” Kavya Manyapu
Above: The
EMU cannot
fit smaller
astronauts,
but the PXS
is being
designed with
different sizesTop centre:
Vinita
Marwaha
Madill is
involved in
spacesuit
design for
the ESARight: Rear
view of the
PXS which
shows how an
astronaut fits
snug inside“Ifyouwanttosqueezeyourhand
inaspacesuit,you’refightingthe
pressureofthesuititself.You
can’t turn your head because it’s
inside a helmet”
Chris Hadfield,
Expedition 34/35“The gloves are really tailored
to the astronaut’s hands, and
it’s very important because we
needtodotaskswhichrequirea
lot of fidelity”
Tim Peake,
Expedition 46/47“The spacesuit can be very
difficulttomanoeuvre–itfeels
like you’re operating this machine,
like it’s your own little human-
shaped spacecraft”
Jenni Sidey-Gibbons,
astronaut-in-training“NASA’s suits were not very close-
fitting, so once you inflated the
suit it really made it much more
difficult to operate”
Timothy Kopra,
Expedition 20WHAT THE ASTRONAUTS THOUGHT
© NASA; Final Frontier Design; Boeing; ROBYN BECK/AFP/Getty ImagesSpacesuit redesign