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The protocols for space walks are also very similar to deep sea divers. The suits have an internal air pressure lower than the space station (for many good rea
by rogerbinns 13y ago
The protocols for space walks are also very similar to deep sea divers. The suits have an internal air pressure lower than the space station (for many good reasons). In order to avoid getting symptoms similar to the bends, they have to spend several hours pre-breathing pure oxygen etc. This means they can't just put on a suit and go outside in an emergency - it takes planning and time.
- MekaiGS 13y agoCould you explain why this is the case?
- Udo 13y agoMy guess would be that full pressurization makes the suit too rigid.
- jbri 13y agoThe ISS is pressurized to match Earth at sea level (it's designed for long-term habitation), and the pressurized modules are built to withstand that pressure. Making a spacesuit that could handle the same pressure would require it to be much heavier and more rigid. Cutting the pressure makes it much easier to work in.
- rogerbinns 13y agoThis section explains pressures: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_suit#Operating_pressure http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_suit#Operating_pressure This 4 minute 1987 NASA video explains suit history: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4WK6IUQ7QU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4WK6IUQ7QU This page explains the protocol and over two hours of pre-breathe: http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/eva/outside.html http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/station/eva/outside.html This section (4th paragraph) explains what happens when a space suit is pressurized: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemini_9A#Objectives http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemini_9A#Objectives Quote: After pumping up his pressure suit to three and one half pounds of pressure per square inch, "the suit took on a life of its own and became so stiff that it didn't want to bend at all." He struggled to move inside his stiff suit.
- MekaiGS 13y agoVery informative, thanks!