MIT May Have The Answer To The Question About What Tomorrow's Space Travelers May Be Wearing
During the 2007 World Space Expo, ANN's Aero-TV teams came upon something that would have looked like a space suit... if only there had been more of it -- or so we thought. Upon close examination, though, we found out that this suit -- the Bio-Suit, was indeed a space suit and that in years hence (and not so many as one might imagine), this will be "unform of the day" for spacefarers.
MIT tells ANN that, "At the MIT Man Vehicle Laboratory we have been pursuing EVA research for well over a decade. Our previous research has focused on quantifying the capabilities and limitations of the current Space Shuttle spacesuit, known as the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU). We developed analytical models of the EMU and validated these through experiments with a pressurized EMU and state-of-the-art robotic technology (see image on left). The results have been used to enhance astronaut training, increase crew operational efficiency and optimize mission planning."
The big problem with space suits is just that... they ARE big. And while they are in no uncertain terms, magnificent constructs, they're awfully large, heavy, expensive and just plain bulky... which makes them less than user-friendly... in ANY environment. MIT posits that current suits, "...being based on a gas-filled pressure suit concept, current spacesuits also considerably restrict the astronaut's range of motion compared to an unsuited human - particularly disadvantageous for extraterrestrial surface traversal where climbing, squatting and other such motions must be regularly performed."
This is where the Bio-Suit comes in. By building a suit that is lighter and more maneuverable, the suit becomes far more useable and adaptable to a number of environments where it also eases the workload and comfort for those who use it. Extensive research into medicine, engineering and a number of exotic new technologies make the Bio-Suit possible.
MIT explains the fundamentals of the Bio-Suit as a device that "would provide life support through mechanical counter-pressure where pressure is applied to the entire body through a tight-fitting suit with a helmet for the head. Wearable technologies will be embedded in the Bio-Suit layers and the outer layer might be recyclable. Hence, images of 'spraying on' the inner layer of the Bio-Suit System emerge, which offers design advantages for extreme, dusty, planetary environments."
ANN thanks MIT Prof. Dava J. Newman, Professor of Aeronautics & Astronautics and Engineering Systems/Director, Technology and Policy Program and her team for their kind assistance with this program.
FMI: http://mvl.mit.edu/EVA/index.html