New gravity simulating spacesuit could aid long duration flights

[RAMA]

http://www.space.com/12818-future-spacesuit-astronaut-gravity-rehabilitation.html

Just another piece to the puzzle...its not technology holding us back!

RAMA

 

[PurpleBuddha]

I wonder how important gravity is for our organs since the suit won't be able to simulate gravity for them.

Granted, a suit like this sounds great if it can be pulled off. I have always like the idea of a gravity simulating suit. However, it sounds rather complex and prone to failures. The suit is essentially trying pull off the building of an exercise machine around the human body that exercises all the muscles at the same time.

Hell, if it does pull it off, perhaps they should market it for exercise here on earth as well. At the least it would beat the shit out of the Bowflex, even if it did end up on an infomercial for the low low price of 199.99 per payment for six easy payments.

 

[spooky spice]

I wonder how important gravity is for our organs since the suit won't be able to simulate gravity for them.

<probably not technically accurate>Don't regular space suits have an inner suit that's skin tight and has a 'circulation' system built into them to prevent the astronaut's guts from coming out of their eye sockets?</probably not technically accurate>

 

[RobertVA]

I wonder how important gravity is for our organs since the suit won't be able to simulate gravity for them.

<probably not technically accurate>Don't regular space suits have an inner suit that's skin tight and has a 'circulation' system built into them to prevent the astronaut's guts from coming out of their eye sockets?</probably not technically accurate>

No. The inner garment that resembles old fashion one piece underwear features vinyl tubing that keeps the suit at a tolerable temperature. Since that system doesn't extend to the hands the EVA suits have electrical heating elements in the gloves (it's very cold when in shadow). The trunk, arms and legs have jointed rigid structures to reduce the effort required to move the suit's limbs.

They wear adult diapers becase when you can't get out of the suit for so long (eight hours outside plus time to depressurize/repressurize the air lock plus time to don and remove the suit) nature tends to call anyway.

 

[spooky spice]

No. The inner garment that resembles old fashion one piece underwear features vinyl tubing that keeps the suit at a tolerable temperature. Since that system doesn't extend to the hands the EVA suits have electrical heating elements in the gloves (it's very cold when in shadow). The trunk, arms and legs have jointed rigid structures to reduce the effort required to move the suit's limbs.

Oh is that what it is?

Wonder where I got the idea that it was to stop you smooshing into your helmet from

 

[RobertVA]

No. The inner garment that resembles old fashion one piece underwear features vinyl tubing that keeps the suit at a tolerable temperature. Since that system doesn't extend to the hands the EVA suits have electrical heating elements in the gloves (it's very cold when in shadow). The trunk, arms and legs have jointed rigid structures to reduce the effort required to move the suit's limbs.

Oh is that what it is?

Wonder where I got the idea that it was to stop you smooshing into your helmet from

If old fashion hard hat dive suits don't have some sort of check valve I suppose that could happen if their air supply hose broke.

The EVA suits provided to ISS crews by the US separate into two pieces near the waist and have detachable helmets. They were fabricated with multiple sizes so the crew member could use a combination of torso and pant sections for the best fit. The Russian EVA suits have a rectangular entry hatch where the support packs attach to the back.

I believe the orange Accent/Decent suits that were used in the space shuttle have entry zippers in the back. They were worn with pneumatically operated garments that tightened around the crew member's legs to force blood back towards their heads during the deceleration of reentry.

 

[PurpleBuddha]

No. The inner garment that resembles old fashion one piece underwear features vinyl tubing that keeps the suit at a tolerable temperature. Since that system doesn't extend to the hands the EVA suits have electrical heating elements in the gloves (it's very cold when in shadow). The trunk, arms and legs have jointed rigid structures to reduce the effort required to move the suit's limbs.

Oh is that what it is?

Wonder where I got the idea that it was to stop you smooshing into your helmet from

Well anyway, I meant the pull of gravity on your organs. the suit can provide resistance to your arms and legs and so forth but not to your internals. Still, I do not know if this is important but am guessing that something like your lungs would weaken in a low gravity environment such that upon your return to earth there could be issues. Can someone confirm/debunk this?

 

[spooky spice]

If old fashion hard hat dive suits don't have some sort of check valve I suppose that could happen if their air supply hose broke.

been done on Mythbusters, and yes you do get smooshed into your helmet

It was gross...


But that's not where I got my notion from.

Ah, the workings of a child's mind... maybe I was a deep sea diver in a past life?

 

[scotpens]

Oh is that what it is?

Wonder where I got the idea that it was to stop you smooshing into your helmet from.

You’re thinking of two different functions of an EVA suit. There’s an inner garment described above, with water circulating in tubes to act as a heat exchanger and keep you from roasting on the sun side and freezing on the shadow side. Over that is the pressurized suit, which prevents your body fluids from boiling away in the vacuum of space. On top of all that is a coverall garment which keeps everything neat and tidy.

I believe the orange Accent/Decent suits that were used in the space shuttle have entry zippers in the back.

You’ve got a pretty decent accent yourself!

(Not to be anal about it, but I assume you meant “ascent/descent.”)

They were worn with pneumatically operated garments that tightened around the crew member's legs to force blood back towards their heads during the deceleration of reentry.

Just like the standard-issue G-suits that military pilots have worn since the 1950s, to keep the blood from draining into the lower extremities (causing blackouts) in high-g maneuvers.

 

[Meredith]

I like this suit the best: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_activity_suit

Nothing like actually sweating in space to keep you cool, LOL.