Program Information

Series: Destination Tomorrow
Program: Episode 9
Segment Number: 5 (Watch entire program)
Duration: 00:05:16
Year Produced: 2003
Description:

NASA Destination Tomorrow Segment describing spacesuit design and how modern suits have adapted with time.

NASA's Destination Tomorrow™ is a series of 30-minute programs that focus on NASA research. Each exciting program gives the audience an inside look at NASA and demonstrates how research and technology relate to our everyday lives.

For more information visit: http://destination.larc.nasa.gov/

Transcript

THERE IS NO DOUBT
THAT SPACE SUIT DESIGN
HAS COME A LONG WAY.

EARLY U.S. SPACE SUITS
WERE ADAPTED FROM PRESSURE SUITS
DESIGNED FOR PILOTS
OF HIGH ALTITUDE, MILITARY,
AND EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT.

TODAY, MODERN SUITS
ARE A RELIABLE AND MOBILE UNIT
THAT ASTRONAUTS DEPEND ON
DURING SPACE FLIGHT.

OUR OWN JOHNNY ALONSO
FOUND OUT MORE ABOUT SPACE SUITS
AND HOW THEY WORK.

(Alonso)
SPACE IS AN INCREDIBLY
BRUTAL ENVIRONMENT.

NOT ONLY IS THERE NO
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE OR OXYGEN
TO SUSTAIN LIFE,
BUT HUMAN EXPLORERS
MUST ALSO DEAL
WITH INTENSE RADIATION
AND EXTREME TEMPERATURES
IN ORDER TO PERFORM
EVEN THE MOST BASIC TASKS.

INSIDE A SPACECRAFT,
THE ATMOSPHERE CAN BE CONTROLLED
SO THAT SPECIAL CLOTHING
ISN'T NEEDED,
BUT WHEN OUTSIDE,
HUMANS NEED THE PROTECTION
OF A SPACE SUIT.

IN 1961, ASTRONAUT ALAN SHEPARD
WORE ONE OF THE FIRST SUITS
DESIGNED FOR SPACEFLIGHT
ABOARD THE FREEDOM VII
SPACECRAFT.

THIS SUIT WAS ACTUALLY
A MODIFIED VERSION
OF A NAVY HIGH-ALTITUDE
JET AIRCRAFT PRESSURE SUIT.

SPACE SUITS HAVE
COME A LONG WAY SINCE THEN.

THE CURRENT EXTRAVEHICULAR
MOBILITY UNIT, OR E.M.U.,
IS THE RESULT OF MANY YEARS
OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
AND IS ALSO A POWERFUL TOOL
FOR OPERATIONS
OUTSIDE THE INTERNATIONAL
SPACE STATION AND THE SHUTTLE.

NOW, I SPOKE
WITH ENGINEER PHIL WEST
TO FIND OUT HOW IT WORKS.

MOST PEOPLE
HAVE THIS PRECONCEIVED IDEA
THAT A SPACE SUIT
IS PRETTY SIMPLE,
HEAVY CLOTH AND THINGS,
BUT IT'S REALLY
A MINI SPACECRAFT
THAT LETS YOU STEP OUT INTO
THIS VERY
HARSH ENVIRONMENT.

THE CONSEQUENCES
OF NOT WEARING A SUIT?

IT'S A BAD DAY IF
YOU DON'T WEAR YOUR SPACE SUIT.

THERE'S A VACUUM
IN SPACE, RIGHT?

SO JUST LIKE
WHEN YOU OPEN A SODA BOTTLE,
IT'S GOING TO FIZZ, RIGHT?

YOUR BODY
WILL DO THE SAME THING.

WHAT'S HAPPENING IS,
YOUR BODY FLUIDS AND EVERYTHING
ARE GOING TO BOIL.

IT'S NOT BECAUSE
OF TEMPERATURE.

IT'S BECAUSE
OF PRESSURE.

REMOVE THE PRESSURE--
[imitates fizzing]
THAT STUFF
WANTS TO COME OUT.

YOU'VE GOT
TEMPERATURE EXTREMES.

YOU NEED MOLECULES
TO HAVE TEMPERATURE,
BUT YOUR TEMPERATURE,
THE SPACECRAFT'S,
COULD GET VERY COLD
OR VERY HOT
DEPENDING ON WHETHER
YOU'RE IN THE SUN
OR IN THE SHADE
OR THE THINGS AROUND YOU.

THEN THERE'S LITTLE PARTICLES
OF NATURAL OR HUMAN-MADE STUFF
THAT FLY AROUND IN SPACE
AT HIGH SPEEDS
AND COULD LITERALLY HIT YOU--
MICROMETEOROIDS,
NATURAL STUFF THAT COMES IN
FROM ELSEWHERE.

WHAT ARE SPACE SUITS
MADE OUT OF?

THINK OF THE SPACE SUIT
AS A BALLOON
SHAPED LIKE YOUR BODY,
ALL RIGHT?

AND WE GOT TO HAVE A LAYER
TO MAKE THAT BALLOON.

SO WE USE THIS
URETHANE-COATED NYLON, OKAY?

THAT'S LIKE
CAMPING-TENT MATERIAL,
BUT IT'S GOT A COATING ON IT
TO SEAL IT UP,
AND THAT'S THE BASIC LAYER
THAT HOLDS ALL THE GAS IN.

WE MAKE IT
THE SHAPE OF YOUR BODY.

WE CALL IT
THE BLADDER.

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN
TO A BALLOON
IF YOU INFLATED IT
TOO MUCH?

IT'LL POP.

POP, WHICH IS BAD,
IN THE SPACE SUIT WORLD, ANYWAY.

WE GOT TO CONSTRAIN IT.

WE GOT TO MAKE SURE
IT'S THE RIGHT SHAPE.

WE USE THIS POLYESTER LAYER
TO GIVE IT
STRUCTURE AND STRENGTH
AND MAKE SURE
IT'S THE SHAPE OF YOUR BODY,
THE RIGHT SIZE, ARM LENGTH.

SO THAT'S THE FIRST TWO
KEY LAYERS OF THE SPACE SUIT.

THEN REMEMBER TEMPERATURE
EXTREMES WE TALKED ABOUT?

OKAY, WE HAVE FIVE LAYERS
OF ALUMINIZED MYLAR.

SO NOW THINK OF THE SPACE SUIT
AS A THERMOS BOTTLE.

YOU KNOW
HOW A THERMOS BOTTLE WORKS?

IT'S GOT A VACUUM
BETWEEN AN INSULATOR
AND A GLASS JAR
WITH A SILVERY COATING ON IT.

SO THAT'S
FOR THERMAL PROTECTION.

AND THEN A REAL TOUGH LAYER OF--
WHAT'S THIS?

NOMEX WITH TEFLON
COATING ON IT.

FEEL, THAT'S KIND
OF SLICK, RIGHT?

AND IT'S GOT KEVLAR
WOVEN INTO IT,
A VERY STRONG FIBER.

AND THAT'S SO
YOU DON'T GET TEARS,
AND YOU PROTECT ALL THESE
OTHER LAYERS VERY WELL.

YOU DON'T WANT
TO GET A HOLE IN HERE.

YOU DON'T WANT A HOLE
HERE IN YOUR BLADDER.

RIGHT, PHIL, HOW DO
THESE SPACE SUITS OPERATE?

YOU'VE GOT A CONTROL PACK
ON THE FRONT
AND A LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEM
ON THE BACK, RIGHT?

AND THAT LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEM
IS MORE THAN JUST OXYGEN.

IT'S GOT BATTERIES FOR POWER
OR RADIO FOR COMMUNICATIONS,
COMPUTER, AND A BUNCH
OF PLUMBING AND THINGS
TO KEEP YOU ALIVE,
AND THAT'S ALL CONTROLLED
UP IN THE FRONT
WITH THIS CONTROL PACK.

WE'VE GOT SOME PLACES
WHERE THE ASTRONAUT
CAN CONTROL THEIR
COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT.

YOU CAN OPEN THAT VALVE
IF YOUR SUIT EVER PRESSURIZES.

THERE'S
A LITTLE DIAL THERE
TO CHANGE
YOUR COMMUNICATIONS MODE
AND A LITTLE DISPLAY
TO TELL YOU,
"HEY, YOU KNOW, JOHNNY,
YOU'VE ONLY GOT
3% BATTERY POWER LEFT.

PACK UP YOUR TOYS,
AND BRING IT ON IN."

AND CONTROLS
IN THE FRONT HERE
FOR VOLUME
AND YOUR POSITION,
WHETHER YOU'RE INSIDE
OR OUTSIDE THE SPACECRAFT
IS UP HERE
ON THE FRONT.

AND WHAT'S
THIS DIAL?

THAT'S FOR
TEMPERATURE.

REMEMBER, WE'RE IN
A THERMOS BOTTLE.

AND YOU'RE A HEAT ENGINE.

YOU'RE ACTUALLY PRODUCING HEAT.

YOU'RE NOT JUST LIKE
HOT CHOCOLATE.

HOT CHOCOLATE
IN A THERMOS BOTTLE STAYS WARM.

IT DOESN'T GET ANY HOTTER.

YOU WOULD GET HOTTER,
AND YOUR OWN BODY HEAT
WOULD BE YOUR DOWNFALL,
BECAUSE YOUR BODY HEAT
IS GOING TO HAVE
NOWHERE TO GO.

IT'S GOING TO BE TRAPPED
IN THERE WITH YOU.

THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS
IN A SPACE SUIT.

SO LITERALLY
WHAT WE'LL DO
IS PUMP COLD WATER
ALL OVER YOUR BODY
THROUGH LONG UNDERWEAR
LIKE THIS.

CHECK THAT OUT.

AND SO THAT IS PLUMBED.

THIS CONNECTS
INSIDE THE SUIT,
AND THEN THIS DIAL CONTROLS
THE TEMPERATURE OF THE WATER
THAT FLOWS OVER YOUR BODY
THROUGH ALL THESE TUBES.

THERE'S ENOUGH
TUBE IN THERE
TO STRETCH THE LENGTH
OF A FOOTBALL FIELD.

SEE THE AIR BUBBLES
IN THERE?

IT'S ALL CHARGED
RIGHT NOW.

SO, PHIL, UM, OFF THE RECORD--

YEAH?

HOW DO YOU RELIEVE YOURSELF
IN ONE OF THESE?

G--GOOD QUESTION.

YOU KNOW, WELL,
YOU'VE GOT A DRINK BAG.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO WANT
TO DRINK SOME WATER,
AND EVENTUALLY,
THAT'S GOT A PLACE TO GO.

WELL, IT'S PRETTY
TECHNICAL.

IT'S A DIAPER.

LOVELY.

THE WHOLE IDEA WAS,
LET'S SAVE MONEY.

LET'S USE ADULT,
OFF-THE-SHELF DIAPERS.

WE SEW EXTRA MATERIAL
INTO THEM.

THEY WORK GREAT IF YOU CAN
GET PAST THE IDEA
THAT YOUR MOM TOLD YOU
NOT TO GO IN YOUR PANTS.

HEY, PHIL,
THANKS A LOT, YOU KNOW,

GIVING US ALL THE INFO
ABOUT SPACE SUITS.

LISTEN,
I WAS WONDERING, UM,
CAN I GET, LIKE,
A SOUVENIR OFF THIS?

OH, MAN, I WISH I COULD,
BUT THERE'S NO--

REALLY, YOU KNOW,
THIS IS PRETTY NICE STUFF.

WE REALLY CAN'T LET--
LET ME THINK.

WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT?

ACTUALLY, WE DON'T--
THIS IS USED.

WE DON'T NEED
THE DIAPER ANYMORE.

YOU CAN HAVE THAT.

Virginia Standards

9th Grade SOLs » Science » ES.1
9th Grade SOLs » Science » ES.4
12th Grade SOLs » Science » PH.1
12th Grade SOLs » Science » PH.3
12th Grade SOLs » Science » PH.4