NASA unveils 'futuristic' spacesuits for Moon, Mars missions
In a major development, NASA has taken the wraps off the next-generation spacesuits for its astronauts. The American space agency, which already has astronauts on the International Space Station, confirmed that the new suits are more capable than the existing ones and will be donned by astronauts heading on deep space missions to Moon, Mars, and beyond. Here's all about them.
Two spacesuits for deep space missions
NASA has developed two spacesuits, one dubbed Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or xEMU, and the other one being Orion Crew Survival System (OCSS) suit. The former, assembled from bulky red and white-colored parts, has been designed for working on the Moon's surface, while the other, a thin orange-colored unit, is for wearing on the way to the Moon and back.
How these spacesuits are better than existing ones
NASA says both the suits pack enhanced safety and mobility features and have been developed on the basis of learnings from six decades of spaceflight. The Moonwalk-specific suit offers the ability to twist, bend and walk. It has been built with sealed parts of different sizes, which makes it easier for astronauts to survive without worrying about extreme lunar dust or temperatures.
Here's the real demo of the Moon-specific spacesuit
What about the thinner Orion suit?
The thinner Orion suit, on the other hand, is lighter and stronger than the survival suit worn on the space shuttle. It promises enhanced motion inside Orion as well as helps reduce noise and make communication with crew-members easy. Also, the suit packs the tech to serve as a self-contained personal spaceship, which can keep the astronauts alive if Orion loses pressure during flight.
There's still more work to be done
However, NASA says there's still more work to be done to make the suits ready for Moon. A review of the suits will be done in 2021, post which they will go through a range of tests, including a real-world test on the ISS. Ultimately, NASA hopes to prep the suits for the Moon mission, which is expected to happen by 2024.
