Browse Topic: Protective clothing

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Oxygen System and Component CleaningARP1176B (Current)10/19/2020
This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) provides recommended practices for the cleaning of aircraft oxygen equipment, both metallic and non-metallic articles, such as oxygen lines (tubes, hoses, etc.), components (including regulator and valve parts), cylinders, and ground-based equipment that may be used to support aircraft oxygen systems. This document also specifies work area details, methods for selecting suitable cleaning agents, cleaning methods, and test methods for verifying levels of cleanliness. The cleanliness coding scheme specified in this document provides a method for documenting minimum cleanliness level requirements and for identifying compliance.
A-10 Aircraft Oxygen Equipment Committee
Production Method for High-Performance PolymerTBMG-361973/1/2020
A method was developed to produce a polymer material called PBO — known commercially as Zylon — that’s used in bulletproof vests and other high-performance fabrics. The new approach could be useful in making PBO products that resist degradation — a problem that has plagued PBO-based materials in the past.
‘Hyper Glue’ Could Be Used for Medical ImplantsTBMG-360152/1/2020
Researchers hope to make everything from protective clothing to medical implants stronger and more corrosion resistant thanks to a newly developed hyper glue formula. The team of chemists and composite materials researchers discovered a broadly applicable method of bonding plastics and synthetic fibers at the molecular level in a procedure called cross-linking. The cross-linking takes effect when the adhesive is exposed to heat or long-wave UV light making strong connections that are both impact-resistant and corrosion-resistant. Even with a minimal amount of cross linking, the materials are tightly bonded.
Threads Detect Gases When Woven into ClothingTBMG-359892/1/2020
A fabrication method was developed to create dyed threads that change color when they detect a variety of gases. The threads can be read visually or even more precisely by use of a smartphone camera, to detect changes of color due to analytes as low as 50 parts per million. Woven into clothing, the gas-detecting threads could provide a reusable, washable, and affordable safety asset in medical, workplace, military, and rescue environments.
Unpowered, Lightweight Ankle ExoskeletonTBMG-3571712/1/2019
A lightweight, low-profile, inexpensive ankle exoskeleton could be widely used among elderly people, those with impaired lower-leg muscle strength, and workers whose jobs require substantial walking or running.
Heat-Regulating Material for Next-Generation Space BlanketTBMG-3572012/1/2019
Drawing design inspiration from the skin of squid, researchers developed an adaptive space blanket that gives users the ability to control their temperature. The drawback to current Mylar heat-regulating blankets is static. The new material has changeable properties to regulate how much heat is trapped or released.
Durable Polyimide AerogelsTBMG-3572712/1/2019
Innovators at NASA's Glenn Research Center have developed polyimide aerogel technologies that are 500 times stronger than traditional silica aerogels. These durable polyimide aerogels are highly flexible and foldable in contrast to traditional silica aerogels, which shed dust particles and are notoriously fragile and brittle. Polyimide aerogels possess remarkable strength, flexibility, and moisture resistance and make excellent “wrappable” insulators. No other aerogel possesses the compressive and tensile strength of this organic polyimide aerogel while still retaining its ability to be flexibly folded to contour to whatever shape is needed such as automotive shields, pipeline insulation, and protective clothing.
Pearl-Like Coating Enhances Lightweight ArmorTBMG-3545311/1/2019
By mimicking the outer coating of pearls (nacre or mother of pearl), researchers created a lightweight plastic that is 14 times stronger and eight times lighter (less dense) than steel. It could be applicable to vests, helmets, and other types of body armor as well as protective armor for ships, helicopters, and other vehicles.
CONTI SUITS UP19AUTP10_0110/1/2019
A team of young innovators aims to transform a critical piece of safety equipment - and create new business - through collaboration. Few colors shock the human brain into attention more than high-visibility Yellow. “Hi-viz” as it's known in the safety-apparel industry, is an on-the-job requirement for first responders, road workers, tow-truck drivers, linesmen, loggers, couriers, coast guard deck crews - any all-weather vocation for which being seen in low-visibility situations can make the difference between life and death. Included are overnight package-delivery drivers who must sprint across busy city streets - at night, in the fog and rain - to deliver the goods. But hi-viz, even when combined with reflective fabrics, is often not sufficient for wearers to be seen.
Brooke, Lindsay
Smart, Soft, Back Orthosis Uses Real-Time Motion DetectionTBMG-346136/1/2019
Back pain is inevitable with constrained posture over a number of hours. Permanent damage such as premature spine wear is not uncommon in people who do not adopt proper ergonomic posture. The same applies to those who frequently lift heavy objects.
5 Ws of Foldable Mechanical DevicesTBMG-344025/1/2019
Manufacturers across medical, space, aviation, military, and automotive industries could use the technology to build complex machines that integrate with surfaces to be very compact, but can deploy to do complex tasks.
Sound Attenuation of Neoprene Wetsuit Hoods as a Function of Dive Depth and Acoustic Frequency: Hyperbaric Chamber Trials19AERP05_105/1/2019
Data gathered during testing will help develop strategies to protect Navy divers from loud underwater sounds. Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory, Groton, Connecticut The U.S. Navy is interested in strategies that divers could employ to protect them from loud underwater sounds. Sonar transmissions and other forms of underwater sound, such as that produced by noisy underwater tools, are an occupational hazard for U.S. Navy divers. At the time this research was conducted, the U.S. Navy guidance for diver exposure to underwater sound accounted for the diver wearing a wetsuit hood but did not account for any changes in the hood's sound attenuation properties with dive depth. Characterizing how the hood's attenuation properties change with depth and frequency is critical to creating appropriate guidance for diver's exposure to underwater sound.
Sound Attenuation of Neoprene Wetsuit Hoods as a Function of Dive Depth and Acoustic Frequency: Hyperbaric Chamber TrialsTBMG-343375/1/2019
The U.S. Navy is interested in strategies that divers could employ to protect them from loud underwater sounds. Sonar transmissions and other forms of underwater sound, such as that produced by noisy underwater tools, are an occupational hazard for U.S. Navy divers.
Dynamic Spine Brace Characterizes Spine DeformitiesTBMG-336291/1/2019
Spine deformities, such as idiopathic scoliosis and kyphosis (also known as “hunchback”), are characterized by an abnormal curvature in the spine. The children with these spinal deformities are typically advised to wear a brace that fits around the torso and hips to correct the abnormal curve. Bracing has been shown to prevent progression of the abnormal curve and avoid surgery; however, the underlying technology for bracing has not fundamentally changed in 50 years.
Optically Transparent Polyimide AerogelsTBMG-335931/1/2019
Innovators at NASA's Glenn Research Center have expanded their growing portfolio of aerogels to include a new optically transparent polyimide aerogel. Aerogels — low-density, highly porous, ultralight materials derived from gels — can be fabricated to achieve specific desirable traits including various ranges of optical transparency. In the past, high optical clarity was most commonly produced in silica aerogels, which shed dust particles and are notoriously fragile and brittle. In contrast, polyimide aerogels possess remarkable strength and flexibility. They are often used in aerospace applications due to their ability to retain their physical and mechanical properties in thermally and chemically demanding environments.
Energy-Storing Material Folds Onto ItselfTBMG-3322211/1/2018
Eagles can store energy in their feet without having to continuously contract their muscles to then jump high or hold on to prey. New materials have been created that can store energy this way. The materials, called auxetics, behave quite differently from regular materials. Instead of bulging out when squeezed, they collapse in all directions, storing the energy inside.
Aerogel Insulation Makes Thinner, Warmer OuterwearTBMG-3320611/1/2018
Spinoff is NASA's annual publication featuring successfully commercialized NASA technology. This commercialization has contributed to the development of products and services in the fields of health and medicine, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.
Artificial “Blubber” Protects Divers in Frigid WaterTBMG-324828/1/2018
When Navy SEALs carry out dives in Arctic waters, or when rescue teams are diving under ice-covered rivers or ponds, the survival time even in the best wetsuits is very limited — as little as tens of minutes. Researchers have discovered a process to triple that survival time.
3D-Printed Device Produces Nanofiber MeshesTBMG-296997/1/2018
Nanofibers are useful for any application that benefits from a high ratio of surface area to volume, such as solar cells that maximize exposure to sunlight, or fuel cell electrodes that catalyze reactions at their surfaces. Nanofibers can also yield materials that are permeable only at very small scales, such as water filters, or that are remarkably tough for their weight, such as body armor. Most such applications depend on fibers with regular diameters. But their commercialization has been hampered by inefficient manufacturing techniques.
Exoskeletons, Surgical Robotics Drive Advances in Motion System TechnologiesTBMG-297477/1/2018
New technologies are coming along every day that are designed to make an engineer's life easier when attempting to fulfill his or her motion control system needs. This article reviews some of the latest advances in motion control and presents an application in which all of these components can be used together.
Plastic Bearings Reduce Weight and Improve DurabilityTBMG-290026/1/2018
When engineer Mark Doyle started to put together plans for an exoskeleton to support surgeons in 2012, he wanted to develop a lightweight product that they could wear comfortably for extended periods of time. Doyle and his team at Levitate Technologies (San Diego, CA) had to carefully choose the products that would be included in the device because any additional ounces could have made the device uncomfortable and unwieldy, thus ending development before it entered production.
Brainwave-Controlled Exoskeleton Restores Functional GraspTBMG-285243/1/2018
École Polytechnique Fédéral de LausanneLausanne, Switzerland
Products of Tomorrow: January 2018TBMG-281821/1/2018
This column presents technologies that have applications in commercial areas, possibly creating the products of tomorrow. To learn more about each technology, see the contact information provided for that innovation.
Multi-Functional Yarns and Fabrics with Anti-Microbial, Anti-Static, and Anti-Odor CharacteristicsTBMG-2801212/1/2017
Prior art fabrics used to manufacture military combat uniforms typically are made from yarns comprised of a blend of cotton and nylon fibers. This blend supports dyeing and printing techniques that use a combination of acid and vat dyes to impart a camouflage pattern. The yarns made from the blend are combined with lightweight, thin fabric construction to produce fabrics that provide comfort, durability, and UV resistance. Other fabrics, such as flame-retardant fabrics, are made from blends of Nomex® synthetic fiber meta-aramid fiber, Kevlar® synthetic fiber para-aramid fiber, and P140 electrostatic-dissipative fiber, and also provide a level of visual and near-infrared camouflage protection; however, they do not provide anti-odor, anti-micro-bial, or electrostatic dissipation performance in a single, complete fabric. Other prior art techniques involve treating uniform fabrics with antimicrobial treatments, but some of these are not durable and wear out after repeated laundering.
Wireless Tamper Detection Sensor and Sensing SystemTBMG-272878/1/2017
NASA's Langley Research Center researchers have developed a wireless, connection-free inductor capacitor sensor system that can be placed on or embedded in materials and structures to monitor for and detect damage. The sensors can also be used to detect package tampering and pilfering. This innovation — SansEC (Sans Electrical Connections) — makes sensors more damage-resilient and more environmentally friendly to manufacture and use.
Functionalization of Carbon NanotubesTBMG-270536/1/2017
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted much attention due to their extraordinary mechanical and unique electronic properties. CNTs are being studied for applications in high-strength/low-weight composites and other applications. In order to alter the CNT properties for particular applications, chemical functionalization may be necessary. Development of multifunctional composite materials may require functionalization of a collection of CNTs to allow the tubes to be dispersed more easily in a host matrix.
Lightweight Exoskeleton Fuel Bladder TransitionF-0073-2017-120385/9/2017
ABSTRACT Previous efforts demonstrated the ability to achieve a 30% weight reduction for a MIL-DTL-27422D Phase I test cube construction with Protection Level A gunfire performance, using a lightweight 2-ply exoskeleton design to replace the 4-ply construction otherwise required to meet crash impact test requirements. An additional 20% reduction in weight was projected by replacing the natural gum rubber (NGR) used in conventional fuel bladder constructions with a lightweight formulation. This paper reviews the technical efforts executed to support the transition of the lightweight exoskeleton construction to the Apache AH-64 helicopter. The fuel bladders made with the lightweight sealant were 15.5% lighter for the AH-64 FWD fuel bladder and 13.2% lighter for the AFT. Additional weight savings based on the 2-ply exoskeleton construction was not realized as the existing AH-64 fuel bladders are already relatively lightweight constructions. The final AH-64 fuel bladders demonstrated the ability to be qualified to all MIL-DTL-27422E performance requirements; however, the program concluded without demonstrating Protection Level A gunfire performance. Importantly, there did not appear to be any discernable difference in the self-sealing performance of the fuel bladders made with the lightweight sealant and the constructions based on conventional NGR sealant. While additional work may be required to address this performance deficiency, there were several issues that were noted during the Phase II gunfire testing that should be reviewed and resolved prior to additional testing.
Heater, Kenneth, Pilati, Bryan, Whipple, Matt
Portable Nanofiber Device Offers Precise Control for Fabricating 3D TissueTBMG-268875/1/2017
There are many ways to make nanofibers. These versatile materials — whose target applications include everything from tissue engineering to bulletproof vests — have been made using centrifugal force, capillary force, electric field, stretching, blowing, melting, and evaporation.
Exoskeleton Device Helps People with Arthritic KneesTBMG-266023/30/2017
A University of North Texas (Denton, TX) graduate student is taking a step toward making exoskeletons available to help more people. Typically, exoskeletons, which are wearable mobile machines that allow for more limb movement, increased strength, and endurance, are extremely expensive and mostly used in the military. However, Jenn Cao, a student in UNT’s College of Engineering, has created a working prototype aimed at helping those who struggle to walk because of osteoarthritis in their knees.
Wireless Tamper Detection Sensor and Sensing SystemTBMG-264883/1/2017
NASA's Langley Research Center researchers have developed a wireless, connection-free inductor capacitor sensor system that can be placed on or embedded in materials and structures to monitor for and detect damage. The sensors can also be used to detect package tampering and pilfering. This innovation — SansEC (Sans Electrical Connections) — makes sensors more damage resilient and more environmentally friendly to manufacture and use.
Ankle Exoskeleton Aids or Enhances MobilityTBMG-253949/1/2016
Clutches can be used to enhance the functionality of springs or actuators in robotic devices. A research team headed up by Steve Collins, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, created a lightweight, low-power clutch used to control spring engagement in an ankle exoskeleton.
Polyimide Aerogels with Three-Dimensional Cross-Linked StructureTBMG-251708/1/2016
NASA-developed polyimide aerogels are 500 times stronger than conventional silica aerogels. The innovative aerogels represent a revolutionary advance over fragile silica aerogels because they are highly flexible and foldable in thin film form. As a thin film, they can be used to insulate industrial pipelines, automotive shields, and temporary housing structures, and can be used within protective clothing such as firefighting jackets, space suits, and parkas. As a thicker part, they can be easily molded to a shape, or sanded and machined to provide insulation as well as mechanical support. No other aerogel possesses the compressive and tensile strength of the NASA innovation while still retaining its ability to be flexibly folded to contour to whatever shape is needed.
Robotic Exoskeleton (EXO)TBMG-2323411/1/2015
The Exoskeleton (EXO) is a device that falls into a new classification of robotics called wearable robots. On-orbit applications include countermeasures and dynamometry, allowing for continual assessment of a person’s muscle strength while aboard the International Space Station. Due to its small, compact size and relatively light weight [57 lb (≈26 kg) without batteries], EXO holds great promise as a countermeasure device for missions below low-Earth orbit.
Using Black Polyimide/Kevlar as a Metering Structure Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI)TBMG-2321211/1/2015
Metering structures of remote sensing instruments often have large openings or access holes. Shear panels that are X-shaped, such as those proposed for the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER), generally consist of C-channels and L-brackets to minimize structural distortion. This type of metering structure has large openings on the sides. Structural panels that have large access holes, such as those studied for the Landsat Operational Land Imager (OLI), generally consist of aluminum honeycomb panels with composite facesheets. Both types of metering structure require multilayer insulation (MLI) blankets to shield the internal components such as optics from sunlight and Earth albedo, and to minimize heat loss to 3K space by radiation. The issues of conventional MLI blankets for these metering structures include MLI sagging, stray light, and risk of micrometeoroid damage to optics.
Products of Tomorrow: October 2015TBMG-2309310/1/2015
The technologies NASA develops don’t just blast off into space. They also improve our lives here on Earth. Life-saving search-and-rescue tools, implantable medical devices, advances in commercial aircraft safety, increased accuracy in weather forecasting, and the miniature cameras in our cellphones are just some of the examples of NASA-developed technology used in products today.
Nanocomposites for Radiation ShieldingTBMG-225438/1/2015
Currently, lead and lead-based materials are used to fabricate shields not only for X-rays, but also for other types of radiation. With the growing environmental concern about the toxicity of lead, and the high costs associated with transporting heavy lead-based shields in spacecraft, alternatives are needed for fabricating X-ray shields that are less toxic and lighter.
Unpowered Exoskeleton Aids WalkingTBMG-222226/1/2015
Augustine's Law and Unit Cost Growth in the Rotorcraft IndustryF-0071-2015-101855/5/2015
ABSTRACT One of the most famous of Augustine's Laws involved the ever-escalating costs of aircraft over time. Law Number XVI states, "In the year 2054, the entire defense budget will purchase just one aircraft. This aircraft will have to be shared by the Air Force and Navy 3- 1/2 days each per week except for leap year, when it will be made available to the Marines for the extra day." This particular reference involved tactical aircraft but the same trend can be observed for other types of military hardware. This paper addresses and attempts to explain this phenomenon as it applies to the rotorcraft industry. For example, increasing demand for more survivable rotorcraft, and more survivable payloads that must be carried by rotorcraft (eg., HMMWVs, soldier body armor, etc.), result in not only higher unit costs but in higher mission costs.
Streich, Eric
Effects of Sinusoidal Whole Body Vibration Frequency on Drivers' Muscle Responses2015-01-13964/14/2015
Low back pain has a higher prevalence among drivers who have long term history of vehicle operations. Vehicle vibration has been considered to contribute to the onset of low back pain. However, the fundamental mechanism that relates vibration to low back pain is still not clear. Little is known about the relationship between vibration exposure, the biomechanical response, and the physiological responses of the seated human. The aim of this study was to determine the vibration frequency that causes the increase of muscle activity that can lead to muscle fatigue and low back pain. This study investigated the effects of various vibration frequencies on the lumbar and thoracic paraspinal muscle responses among 11 seated volunteers exposed to sinusoidal whole body vibration varying from 4Hz to 30Hz at 0.4 g of acceleration. The accelerations of the seat and the pelvis were recorded during various frequency of vibrations. Muscle activity was measured using electromyography (EMG). The results demonstrated that peak muscle response from both upper and low back occurred at 5-6 Hz frequencies, which are also reported frequencies of peak transmissibility in vertical direction. The peak muscle response occurred at frequencies of peak transmissibility indicates that higher stretch amplitude of spinal muscle during resonant frequencies mainly induce the greater muscle activity. Those findings help us better understand the fundamental mechanism of driving discomfort and low back pain and avoid noxious vibration during NVH (noise-vibration-harshness) designs.
Meng, Xiangjie, Tao, Xin, Wang, Wenjun, Zhang, Chaofei, Cheng, Bo, Wang, Bo, Zhou, Chengpeng, Jin, Xiaoping, Zeng, Chao, Cavanaugh, John, Chen, Chaoyang
Improved Mobility with a Neutral, Motion-Amplifying Controller for an Experimental Exoskeleton2015-01-14004/14/2015
The number of seniors is rising worldwide. Exoskeleton devices can help seniors regain their lost power, balance, and agility, thus improving their quality of life. Exoskeleton devices and control strategies assist human gait. A common strategy is to use oscillator-based controllers, which “lock in” with the gait and help the subject walk faster using a phase lead characteristic. Such strategies are limited to gait assist only and are less effective in more general movements. These controllers can be detrimental in critical cases such as when the leg needs to execute a fast reactive stepping to stop a fall. We present a control strategy for a hip exoskeleton, which assists human leg motion by providing motion amplification at the hip joint. The controller is “neutral” because it assists any leg motion, not only a gait, and can help avoid falls by assisting reactive stepping. Our control strategy modifies the joint dynamics of the coupled human-exoskeleton system such that the desired dynamic response is achieved while guaranteeing stability. We define assistance as reducing the impedance and increasing the admittance of the coupled system. The dynamic response of the leg is defined by the frequency response profile of the magnitude of integral admittance (torque-to-angle relationship) of the coupled human-exoskeleton system, and assistance occurs when this profile is higher than that of the unassisted leg for all frequencies of interest. Our controller produces hip joint motion amplification and results in larger and faster leg swing motions, and can help recover the seniors' power and agility.
Nagarajan, Umashankar, Goswami, Ambarish
Floating Armor Torso SystemTBMG-219004/1/2015
BCB International Ltd. Cardiff, UK +44 (0)2920 433 700
Improved Suit Design for Ebola CaregiversTBMG-216903/1/2015
A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins University have designed an advanced protective suit for health care workers who treat Ebola patients. The design is one of the first five awardees in a federal funding contest from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) aimed at quickly devising new tools to combat the deadly disease.
Advanced Spacesuit Avionics Subsystem Integration Testing2014-01-21509/16/2014
This paper summarizes the Power, Avionics and Software (PAS) 1.0 subsystem integration testing and test results that occurred in August and September of 2013. This paper covers the capabilities of each PAS assembly to meet integration test objectives for non-safety critical, non-flight, non-human-rated hardware and software development. This test report is the outcome of the first integration of the PAS subsystem and is meant to provide data for subsequent designs, development and testing of the future PAS subsystems. The two main objectives were to assess the ability of the PAS assemblies' to exchange messages and to perform audio tests of both inbound and outbound channels. This paper describes each test performed, defines the test, the data, and provides conclusions and recommendations.
Bradish, Martin, Sands, Obed, Wright, Ted, Bakula, Casey, Oldham, Daniel, Ivancic, William, Lewis, Michael, Klebau, Joseph, Tollis, Nicholas, Jalics, Andrew
Robotic Exoskeleton Vastly Improves Quality of LifeTBMG-1749310/1/2013
Worldwide an estimated 185 million people use a wheelchair daily. A company based in Auckland, New Zealand, has developed an innovative robotic technology that helps people with mobility impairment get back on their feet— the Rex Bionics robotic exoskeleton. Its integrated maxon motors help to ensure smooth limb movement.
Evaluation of Three Extremity Armor SystemsTBMG-143008/1/2012
The US Marine Corps and the US Army have been engaged in efforts to evaluate improved body armor, including armor to protect the extremities. These efforts are focused on both body armor performance (i.e., ballistic protection) and armor effects on the physical performance of personnel (e.g., body flexibility, mobility, and agility).
Neuroprosthetics and Solutions for Restoring Sensorimotor FunctionsTBMG-78735/1/2010
Advances in body armor and life-saving technology have increased survival rates of severely injured military personnel. Unfortunately, the survivors of improvised explosive devices are often left with amputations and/or spinal cord injuries. The increase in amputations and paralysis among military personnel requires significant advances in prosthetics and functional electrical stimulation (FES) systems so that the soldiers can return to the field or to productive civilian lives.
Proposed Androgynous Docking Airlock/Utility Module2009-01-25857/12/2009
The objective of this paper is to detail a proposal for an Androgynous Docking Airlock/Utility Module (ADAM) that would allow extravehicular (EVA) crews, working from the Orion spacecraft, to avoid depressurizing the command module of the Orion vehicle for planned EVA repair, maintenance and interdiction of orbital structures. Unlike the Space Shuttle, Russian Soyuz vehicle or the Chinese Shenzhou manned spacecraft, the proposed Orion space vehicle has no airlock. This necessitates the depressurizing of the entire Command Module cabin during EVA activity. It also means that all crewmembers will have to wear space suits during contingency and planned EVAs. This inordinately dangerous situation will require all crewmembers to be exposed to the space vacuum for as much as seven hours or more if a working EVA becomes necessary. It also means that if an airlock is not employed on Orion, as indeed none is presently envisioned, the space suits the crew wears will be severely compromised in design as they will have to be employed as EVA suits and emergency launch/escape suits as well, a function that is preclusive on design, engineering and optimization levels. The ADAM module, which is a lightweight, disposable, inflatable airlock/utility carrier, could be launch separately by SpaceX Corporation from launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Following the successful launch and orbit of the manned Orion spacecraft, ADAM would be launched into a similar orbit. Upon reaching orbit ADAM would automatically inflate, initiate its beacon and radar transponder. With the Orion orbiter acting as the active vehicle, the two spacecraft would rendezvous and dock in a manner not unlike that of the old Gemini/Agena docking system of the 1960s. The ADAM module is deflated and tightly packed during the launch phase. This allows the module to impose the least stowage penalty within the launch shroud and also the least mass, thus, it can be launched by a relatively small booster utilizing the smallest payload fairing dimensions. On the forward and aft ends of the inflatable, cylindrical ADAM module are rigid structural hemispheres with a docking adaptor on the side interfacing to the Orion Vehicle. On the opposite end is an airlock hatch/docking adaptor. Between the two hemispherical ends the ADAM module is composed of a rugged fabric outer restraint layer (to hold the module into a cylindrical shape) and underneath is a polyurethane/Nylon bladder to hold in airlock life support gasses/pressure. Covering both is a thermal-micrometeoroid layer. When the ADAM module is sealed off from the Orion Command Module and deflated during EVA activity, aerobeams running longitudinally (as part of the inner bladder) along the modules fore-aft length, would maintain the shape/geometry of the inflatable structure. Stowed inside the ADAM module hemispherical ends are two EVA space suits, and their supporting equipment and tools, etc. Also stowed in the ADAM module would be a lightweight fan and carbon dioxide scrubber to enhance and work with the Orion's life support system. When the planned EVA activity is completed at mission termination, tools, etc. are stowed inside the upper torsos of the EVA space suits and they are then transferred into the Orion Command Module, strapped into two unused seats, and are deorbited, along with the Orion vehicle, to be used again for future missions. The ADAM module is undocked from the Orion vehicle and allowed to deorbit and burn up upon eventual atmospheric reentry.
Harris, Gary L., de León, Pablo
Spacesuit Cooling on the Moon and Mars2009-01-24187/12/2009
NASA is planning to return to the moon and then explore Mars. A permanent base at the south pole of the moon will be the test bed for Mars. At the moon base, two crewmembers are expected to conduct Extravehicular Activity (EVA) six days every week. Current spacesuits are cooled by the sublimation of water ice into vacuum. A single 7 hour EVA near the lunar equator in daylight can expend up to 5 kilograms of water. Because of the high cost of transporting spacesuit cooling water to the moon, the water for one EVA could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. The lunar south pole and Mars have low surface temperatures that make cooling much easier than at the lunar equator. Alternate cooling methods and staying in cool environments can reduce or eliminate the use of water for spacesuit cooling. If cooling water is not needed, a recycling life support system can provide all the required crew water and oxygen without transporting additional water from Earth.
Jones, Harry
Development and Testing of the First Full Pressure Suit for Non-Governmental Commercial Spaceflight2009-01-24977/12/2009
The objective of this paper is to detail the development of the DL/H-1 full pressure suit, which was developed by De Leon Technologies LLC, with the assistance of the University of North Dakota. The DL/H-1 was specifically developed to fulfill the needs for a full pressure suit for private spaceflight in case of decompression or in the need of bailout of the spacecraft. This work also details the objectives, basis for design, problems encountered by the designers, final development of the DL/H-1 full pressure suit and testing in the high altitude chamber at the School of Aerospace Sciences at the University of North Dakota. The authors believe that during experimental flights of private spaceflight, orbital or suborbital a full pressure suit will be required to augment safety during all flight phases where in the case of cabin pressure loss, without personal protection, the loss of crew and vehicle could result. This paper explains the different steps being performed by the authors, who designed and built a flight hardware pressure suit that can meet the physiological and comfort requirements of the tourist suborbital industry and the early commercial private spaceflight community. The suborbital tourist and commercial spaceflight industry have unique problems confronting the pressure suit builder, such as unpressurized comfort, reasonable expense, unique sizing of the general population, decompression complications of persons not fitting a military physiology profile and equipment weight issues.
de León, Pablo, Harris, Gary L.
Philosophies Applied in the Selection of Spacesuit Joint Range-of-Motion Requirements2009-01-25387/12/2009
Space suits are the most important tool for astronauts working in harsh space and planetary environments; suits keep crewmembers alive and allow them to perform exploration, construction, and scientific tasks on a routine basis over a period of several months. The efficiency with which the tasks are performed is largely dictated by the mobility features of the space suit. For previous space suit development programs, the mobility requirements were written as pure functional mobility requirements that did not separate joint ranges of motion from joint torques. The Constellation Space Suit Element has the goal to make more quantitative mobility requirements that focused on the individual components of ‘mobility’ to enable future suit designers to build and test systems more effectively. This paper details the test planning and selection process for the Constellation space suit pressure garment range of motion requirements.
Aitchison, Lindsay
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