SpaceX unveils new spacesuits for private astronaut’s historic spacewalk

SpaceX is preparing to send a private crew of astronauts on a five-day journey in Earth orbit, and they will be the first to try on the company’s latest spacesuit design during a spacewalk, the first of its kind.

IN update On May 4, SpaceX unveiled the design of its long-awaited extravehicular activity (EVA) suit. New spacesuits will be worn Polar Dawn Team during a series of private astronaut missions backed by billionaire Jared Isaacman. The first of the program’s three missions is scheduled to launch no earlier than this summer.

The five-day mission will place SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft into an elliptical orbit around Earth, where private astronauts will collect data and conduct various studies and experiments. One of the highlights of the upcoming mission is the plan to conduct the first commercial astronaut spacewalk, which will also be the first to occur from the Dragon spacecraft.

Reports suggest that SpaceX may have encountered difficulties in the process of designing new spacewalk suits. Polaris Dawn was originally scheduled to launch in the fourth quarter of 2022, but there have been a number of delays. The delays were likely largely due to the design of the new spacesuits; sources reported SpaceNews In February, SpaceX significantly underestimated the amount of work required to convert a spacesuit design into a spacewalk suit.

In early January, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk speaking The presentation said: “We will have to redesign the suit so that you can actually move in it. It’s quite difficult to stay still. being mobile in an inflated suit.” Perhaps the company has finally realized this.

SpaceX’s new spacesuits are an evolutionary version of the company’s astronaut suits currently worn by Dragon crews, with additional features to support spacewalks. activity. “Designing with mobility in mind, SpaceX teams implemented new materials, manufacturing processes, and new joint designs to provide greater flexibility for astronauts in pressurized environments while maintaining comfort in unpressurized scenarios,” SpaceX wrote.

The 3D printed EVA spacesuit helmet now has a visor to help reduce glare from the sun when astronauts are outside the space station. and a new head-up display (HUD) and camera to provide information about pressure, temperature and relative humidity in the suit, according to SpaceX. The new suit design also features airtight seals and valves that help maintain pressure throughout the spacewalk.

The new suits also feature a scalable design that can be adapted to different body types as part of SpaceX’s efforts to increase accessibility for people. into the space. SpaceX has also built new spacesuits with the Moon and Mars in mind, hoping to use their new designs. as part of the company’s broader vision (and SpaceX CEO’s obsession) to colonize the Red Planet in the future.

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