The Road to Infinity

Nov 28

Space Activity Suit

Since the 1960s, NASA has also investigated spacesuits that utilize mechanical pressure rather than pressurized gas to protect an astronaut. Such a “space activity suit” is essentially an allover skin-tight leotard, which would be very lightweight and provide far less impediments to motion than traditional spacesuits. As well, a small tear in the suit would only affect the area exposed by the hole rather than cause a potentially deadly decompression event. The only area of the suit that would need to be pressurized is the astronaut’s helmet.

(Photograph by Douglas Sonders)