The spacesuit will incorporate an advanced design. Suit requirements include efficient operations in Earth orbit and on the lunar surface. Operations on the lunar surface are especially difficult due to the fine powder that is the lunar dirt which gets into everything.
ILC Dover company (https://www.ilcdover.com) has created a prototype of the spacesuit that checks off all of our requirements (Image 1).
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| Image 1: The ILC Spacesuit |
The Z-2 model spacesuit allows the astronaut to ingress and egress the spacesuit from the back, where the Portable Life Support System (PLSS) backpack is located. Once the astronaut has been snuggly fit, the PLSS is attached and the suit is released from it holder. The astronaut then simply walks away (Image 2).
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| Image 2: Spacesuit detached from container |
This design allows the spacesuit to remain outside in the vacuum of space, eliminating the need for an airlock and creating more room inside a spacecraft (Image 3). The PLSS is attached to the suit and a covering is placed over the PLSS to provide a tight seal.
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| Image 3: Spacesuit Ingress/Egress Diagram |
The spacesuit is required to have a maximum mass of 70 kg.
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