Z-2 Prototype Space Suit Development

Date

2014-07-13

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Publisher

44th International Conference on Environmental Systems

Abstract

NASA’s Z-2 prototype space suit is the highest fidelity pressure garment from both hardware and systems design perspectives since the Space Shuttle Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) was developed in the late 1970’s. Upon completion the Z-2 will be tested in the 11 foot human-rated vacuum chamber and the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) at the NASA Johnson Space Center to assess the design and to determine applicability of the configuration to micro-, low- (asteroid), and planetary- (surface) gravity missions. This paper discusses the ‘firsts’ that the Z-2 represents. For example, the Z-2 sizes to the smallest suit scye bearing plane distance for at least the last 25 years and is being designed with the most intensive use of human models with the suit model.

Description

Tucson, Arizona
Amy Ross, NASA Johnson Space Center, USA
Richard Rhodes, NASA Johnson Space Center, USA
David Graziosi, ILC Dover, Inc., USA
Bobby Jones, ILC Dover, Inc., USA
Ryan Lee, ILC Dover, Inc., USA
Bazle Z. (Gama) Haque, University of Delaware Center for Composite Materials, USA
John W. Gillespie Jr., University of Delaware Center for Composite Materials, USA
The 44th International Conference on Environmental Systems was held in Tuscon, Arizona, USA on 13 July 2014 through 17 July 2014.

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