This year, SpaceX’s astronauts will perform their first spacewalk. Elon Musk’s American space company, SpaceX, has developed the latest EVA suit, a space suit for astronauts to wear during extravehicular activity. Here are the details of the new astronaut suit…
SpaceX equips astronauts for spacewalks with EVA suit
The new EVA suit is based on the pressure suit used during flights on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. However, this suit has been modified for extravehicular activity (EVA). According to SpaceX, the suit offers astronauts more flexibility when pressurized and greater comfort in a non-pressurized environment.
SpaceX used new materials and manufacturing techniques while developing this suit. One innovation is the new joints that remain soft under pressure. The helmet is produced using 3D printing and provides better protection against bright light. The helmet also features a heads-up display (HUD) that provides astronauts with information on pressure, temperature, and humidity during a spacewalk.
This new suit will be used for the first time during a private mission called Polaris Dawn, scheduled for this year. In this mission, two women and two men will travel to space with Crew Dragon. Two of them will exit the spacecraft during the mission. Since Crew Dragon does not have an airlock, the entire crew will have to wear space suits. This means that the spacecraft’s interior air will be vented during the spacewalk.
With the pressure drop and re-establishment, the spacewalk is expected to last around two hours. The Polaris Dawn mission was originally planned to be conducted with Starship. This mission is funded by billionaire Jared Isaacman, who also supported the first privately financed space mission, Inspiration 4, in 2021. Isaacman will also participate in the Polaris Dawn mission.
He will be accompanied by SpaceX’s lead engineers for space operations, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon, and pilot Scott Poteet. This mission will showcase SpaceX’s exciting advancements in space exploration. The astronauts will look like superheroes in their new suits in space. What do you think? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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