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Houston, We Have A Problem...

This is a NASA Apollo -era astronaut.

The following descriptions are lifted from Dragon's website. Used without permission.

The Lunar Extravehicular Visor Assembly or "LEVA" attached directly to the EMU suit by a pressure-sealing neck ring, providing visual, thermal, and mechanical protection to the Apollo astronaut's head while still allowing him complete range of motion inside. The A7L LEVA featured a wraparound fabric thermal cover with track-mounted sideshade panels for eye protection. The layered visor system consisted of an inner "protective visor" made of ultraviolet-stabilized polycarbonate for filtering UV rays and infrared, and an outer "sun visor" of gold-tinted high temperature polysulfone plastic for filtering visible light and additional UV/IR protection

 

 

The Portable Life Support System or PLSS was the key component for an Apollo astronaut to perform extravehicular activity freely on the lunar surface, without the hindrance and added risk of a physical tether-line between the EMU suit and the LEM spacecraft. Weighing 26kg on Earth (approximately 10 pounds on the Moon), the PLSS contained tanks for both fresh oxygen and water, a fan to move oxygen through the suit, a pump to move the closed-loop water through the Liquid Cooling Garment, a lithium-hydroxide canister to remove waste carbon dioxide, an electric power battery, as well as various communication and telemetry gear.

In the event of PLSS failure, the astronaut carried an additional Oxygen Purge System or OPS as an emergency back-up. Mounted above the PLSS, the OPS was primarily made up of a pair of oxygen cylinders and an actuator cable on the Remote Control Unit (RCU) attached to the suit's chest. To run the OPS system, the astronaut pulled down on the actuator cable to start flow of oxygen, then opened the diverter valve of the front of the suit to create a presure gradient which would force oxygen into the suit -- thus allowing him enough fresh air and suit integrity to return safely to the LEM spacecraft.

 

The Pressure Garment Assembly of the A7L Apollo Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) was in many ways not so much a "spacesuit" as a small spacecraft in its own right. Custom manufactured for each astronaut and only used once, the PGA acted as a multi-layered shield against the harshness of space -- providing the astronaut with his own self-contained atmosphere while at the same time allowing access to fresh oxygen, water, power and communications.

The Torso Limb Suit Assembly (TLSA) portion of the PGA contained a series of color-coded connectors for various life-support and electronics umbilical lines. The BLUE umbilical connectors brought something TO the suit; the RED connectors took something OUT. The six-point connector on the A7L represented (from perspective of wearer):

Upper Right : Communications IN
Middle Right : Oxygen IN (from Oxygen Purge System)
Lower Right : Pressure Relief Valve

Upper Left : Oxygen IN (from Portable Life Support System)
Middle Left : Water IN/OUT (from Portable Life Support System)
Lower Left : CO2 OUT (to Portable Life Support System)

In addition to providing protection and environmental necessities, the PGA afforded the astronaut maximum freedom of movement under the unusual conditions of lunar extravehicular activity. The rear teflon abrasion patch was added to decrease friction between the PGA's exterior and the heavy Portable Life Support System (PLSS).

 

Due to the multi-layered protection necessary for work in space, manual dexterity has always been a problem for astronauts and NASA designers alike. The Apollo EV gloves were a marvel of engineering for their time, but still hampered the astronaut's ability to perform delicate tasks during extravehicular activity. Each glove was custom-cast to fit an individual astronaut's hand, and fitted with layers of protection and special rubber tips to allow the astronaut maximum dexterity in consideration of the conditions.

For footwear, the Apollo astronaut had two varieties -- a Velcro-soled Pressure Boot for in-flight wear inside the LEM and Command Module spacecraft, and a larger EV Boot with heavier protection for extravehicular activity on the lunar surface. The EV Boot was worn over the Pressure Boot, which was itself part of the Pressure Garment Assembly.

Because astronaut mobility was by normal standards severely limited in the full EMU rig, a Remote Control Unit or RCU was designed for easy access to necessary life support, communications, and power systems. The RCU was seated in the center of the EMU suit chest, and allowed the astronaut to regulate his suit systems and subsystems as needed -- without having to reach around to the PLSS and OPS mounted on his back

 

 

 

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