New Delhi: Few days back, NASA revealed the new spacesuit designed for astronauts who will be heading into orbit aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
The newly designed spacesuit is lighter and more comfortable than earlier suits astronauts wore.
Watch the video below featuring new spacesuit unveiled for Starliner astronauts.
Video credit: NASAKennedy/YouTube
NASA says the suit capitalizes on historical designs, meets NASA requirements for safety and functionality, and introduces cutting-edge innovations.
Boeing unveiled its spacesuit design on Janusry 25, 2017 as the company continues to move toward flight tests of its Starliner spacecraft and launch systems that will fly astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS).
Here are some key features of the suit:
- Lighter and more flexible through use of advanced materials and new joint patterns
- Helmet and visor incorporated into the suit instead of detachable
- Touchscreen-sensitive gloves
- Vents that allow astronauts to be cooler, but can still pressurize the suit immediately
As per NASA, the full suit, which includes an integrated shoe, weighs about 20 pounds with all its accessories - about 10 pounds lighter than the launch-and-entry suits worn by space shuttle astronauts.
Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams, NASA astronauts Eric Boe, Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are training for flight tests using spacecraft under development for NASA's Commercial Crew Program, including Boeing's Starliner and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon systems. Flight tests with astronauts aboard are slated to begin in 2018.
"The most important part is that the suit will keep you alive," astronaut Eric Boe said. "It is a lot lighter, more form-fitting and it's simpler, which is always a good thing. Complicated systems have more ways they can break, so simple is better on something like this."
