SpaceX Spacesuits Gets High Ratings From NASA Astronauts

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On May 30, SpaceX and NASA together created one of the iconic moments of 2020, kickstarting the space launch aboard a private space rocket. Apart from providing spaceships to head to outer space, SpaceX also provides its passengers with spacesuits. NASA astronauts have tried out these spacesuits and here is the scorecard.

 
SpaceX Spacesuits Gets High Ratings From NASA Astronauts

Firstly, the new SpaceX spacesuits give a movie-star look to it, something that astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken enjoyed during the Demo-2 test flight to ISS. As a stark contrast to the NASA spacesuit, often teased as the 'pumpkin suit', the SpaceX spacesuits are all white, giving it a better aesthetic vibe.

 

SpaceX Spacesuit Features

The SpaceX spacesuits, like all spacesuits, were custom-made for the astronauts and thus extensively used during the training for the Demo-2 mission. As astronaut Hurley said in a press statement, these spacesuits were fitted to the individual body types and "were actually easier to get in and out of in zero-G".

"We'd have to get the suits a five-star rating," another astronaut Behnken added during the discussion about the SpaceX suits. It should be noted that the NASA pumpkin spacesuits or the Advanced Crew Escape Suit (ACES) and the SpaceX suits aren't designed for spacewalks. They are designed for backup during launches and landings.

However, they do have particular tasks to handle like protecting astronauts in case of fire or depressurization. The SpaceX spacesuits are also designed to plug into seat umbilicals carrying oxygen and cool air from the spacecraft. The gloves on the spacesuit, another crucial aspect of the entire wardrobe, were also specially designed. For one, gloves were custom-made to be able to work on the Falcon 9's touchscreens.

The SpaceX spacesuit has undergone trial and testing on multiple occasions. "One of the things that was important in the development of the suit was to make it easy to use, something that the crew just literally has to plug in when they sit down, and the suit takes care of things from there," noted Chris Trigg, SpaceX's spacesuits and crew equipment manager while explaining the designs.

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