Though it happened a bit too late, but ultimately the good old spacesuit gets a much needed makeover. Professor Dava Newman of MIT aeronautics has come out with BioSuit, a new design for spacesuit that’s far sleeker and lightweight than the outfits currently worn by today’s astronauts.
Traditionally, gas pressurization has been used in spacesuits which tend to make the gear too bulky thereby restricting the mobility of the astronauts. But the BioSuit employs ‘mechanical counter-pressure’ in the form of skin-tight layers wrapped around the body.
BioSuit is characterized by a pattern of lines which correspond to lines on the skin that don’t extend when you move your leg, thus providing a stiff ’skeleton’ of structural support, while providing maximal mobility.
Professor Newman says,
Traditional bulky spacesuits do not afford the mobility and locomotion capability that astronauts need for partial gravity exploration missions. We really must design for greater mobility and enhanced human and robotic capability.
Further, the BioSuit could also help astronauts stay fit during stretched space journeys by offering varying resistance levels and allowing the astronauts to exercise against the suits during a long space flight.
Image Credit: Donna Coveney
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