Mass of an astronaut's spacesuit. Spacesuits for Russian cosmonauts

For the first time, the idea of ​​​​creating suits that could protect a person from an unfavorable and aggressive environment for him appeared in 1775, when the French abbot-mathematician Jean-Baptiste de la Chapelle proposed creating a suit for immersion in water. In those days, no one thought about spaceships and flights to the Moon, but the name of the invention was given to “space suit,” which meant “man boat.” Despite the fact that modern diving suits were originally called a spacesuit, the name of the equipment has firmly entered into everyday life.

In the 1920s, diving suits for balloonists began to be used in England, since the higher the aircraft rose, the more difficult the conditions became for pilots: low temperatures, sudden changes in pressure, and oxygen deprivation. The pressurized suit helped solve these problems, but only up to certain heights.

In the Soviet Union, the development of equipment for extreme altitudes was carried out by an engineer from the Institute of Aviation Medicine, Evgeniy Chertovsky. He developed about seven modifications of spacesuits and was the first to solve the problem of mobility. Since the first models of spacesuits swelled when raised to a height, it was extremely difficult for the person inside to even bend his arm. Chertovsky introduced a hinge system, which significantly increased the mobility of the suit. Already in 1936, Chertovsky developed a model of the Ch-3 spacesuit, which contained almost all the elements of modern space suits, including thermal underwear.

The impetus for work on a spacesuit that would allow flights into space was the cinematography industry. In 1936, the science fiction film “Space Flight” was shot in the USSR. Konstantin Tsiolkovsky took part in the work on the film. After the film was released, young engineers at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute began to work closely on creating a space suit.

In the post-war years, the initiative to design spacesuits for astronauts passed to the engineers of the Flight Research Institute. The designers were tasked with creating suits for aviation pilots rising to new heights and developing new speeds.

It soon became clear that the capacity of one institute was clearly not enough for mass production of spacesuits. So in October 1952, a special workshop was created at plant No. 918 in Tomilin near Moscow, which later received the name NPP Zvezda. It was there that Yuri Gagarin's spacesuit was made.

The original plans for spaceflight did not include the need for a spacesuit, since the astronaut would have to be in a pressurized capsule. Later, the capsule was replaced with a chair, and the need for a spacesuit that would save the astronaut’s life in any emergency became obvious.

The prototype of the first space suit SK-1 was the Vorkuta high-altitude suit, designed for pilots of the Su-9 interceptor fighter.

The most important distinguishing feature was the helmet, which automatically closed the visor when the pressure dropped. For this purpose, a special sensor was built into the helmet.

The suits were made to individual measurements. For the first flight, three suits were created for the best candidates for space pioneers. These were Yuri Gagarin, German Titov and Grigory Nelyubov.

The pace of space exploration has shown that it is necessary to create a new level of spacesuit that can provide an astronaut with access to outer space. The first models were only emergency rescue and did not allow the astronaut to be in orbit outside the spacecraft, since the life support systems were located in the ship itself, and the suit was only attached to them.

To go into outer space, it was necessary to create an autonomous spacesuit. Designers from the USSR and the USA were actively involved in these developments.

The two superpowers have begun a race in the space industry for supremacy in outer space. Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov was 1.5 months ahead of his American colleague. A Berkut spacesuit was made for him, a modernized modification of the SK-1. Its design included a sealed shell, a backpack equipped with oxygen, and a built-in light filter in the helmet.

The modernization of spacesuits was driven by the desire to conquer new speeds, heights and distances. After the landing on the Moon, suits began to be designed that would allow astronauts to land on Mars and fly many millions of light years.

How does it work

Currently, Orlan spacesuits and its modifications are used on board the ISS. Since 1977, more than 130 paired spacewalks have been carried out in these suits.

The most important characteristics of the Orlan spacesuits:

protection against overheating if the astronaut is on the sunny side;

protection against hypothermia if the astronaut is in the shade;

protection from solar radiation;

protection against meteoric substance;

maximum reliability;

minimum dimensions;

minimum weight;

the ability to perform work near the ship;

independent putting on and taking off;

use of one size for any astronaut;

the possibility of servicing the spacesuit in orbit without the participation of the Earth; ease of replacement of individual elements.

Taking into account all the specified characteristics, the spacesuit is designed so that the astronaut’s height can vary from 165 to 190 cm. The weight of the suit is 110 kg.

In such a suit, an astronaut can remain autonomous for up to 7 hours.

While in space, a person experiences physical and psychological stress. From a physiological point of view, microgravity becomes the main problem. Astronauts also experience headaches, sleep problems, lethargy and retardation of movement. At space stations, various simulators are provided and special preparations have been developed in order to shorten the astronaut’s adaptation period, as well as reduce all the negative factors of the influence of weightlessness on the body.

In addition, the astronaut needs to adapt emotionally. Scientists have discovered that while in space, a person goes through several stages, including boredom, apathy, irritability, after which euphoria sets in. According to the astronauts, while in orbit, they do not feel pain as acutely as on Earth, and microtraumas do not cause any pain. Several years ago, scientists began to study this issue and continue this research.

A look into the future

The most modern modification of the Orlan spacesuit is a miniature spaceship, as it is equipped with the maximum number of the latest technological achievements.

The developers of the Zvezda Research and Production Enterprise gave the spacesuit the name “Orlan-ISS”: modernized, computerized, synthetic.

Currently, Orlan-ISS is undergoing final tests, and it is planned to send it into orbit by the end of 2018.

In the new modification of the spacesuit, the astronaut will be able to remain autonomous for up to 10 hours.

The new suit has its own thermal protection system, heat supply system, communication system, transmission of telemetric information.

“Orlan-MKS” is equipped with a supply of drinking water and is even equipped with such a convenience element as a “scratcher” for the nose.

A distinctive feature of the modified suit was the thermoregulation system, that is, a space version of climate control. While working in outer space, astronauts experience severe stress and also generate large amounts of heat. Overheating and excessive sweating are not only distracting factors, but can also be dangerous for an astronaut.

The microclimate maintenance system creates an optimally comfortable temperature and allows you not to be distracted from work. At any time, the settings of the thermoregulation system can be changed and the temperature adjusted for the most comfortable stay in the spacesuit.

The suit has a built-in high-resolution display that displays the status of all the suit systems and allows you to control them. Previously, astronauts complained that when they were on the sunny side of the station, the image on the display “blurred.” These comments were taken into account when developing the new display. The screen also displays the location of the astronaut relative to the station itself, since the ISS is a complex of a large number of objects, and there were situations when, after several hours of work in orbit, the astronauts lost orientation in space and had difficulty reaching the entrance hatch.

The developers paid special attention to the issue of thermal protection, since temperature differences in orbit are 240 degrees between the solar and shadow sides.

In order to protect the astronaut as much as possible, the main hard body of the spacesuit consists of an aluminum alloy. The hard case and the pressure helmet are a single whole. The sleeves and legs are made of soft, flexible material. The entire suit is protected by several layers of protection, including micrometeorite, that is, several layers of screen-vacuum thermal insulation. Under the rigid body there is a soft thermostatic suit consisting of tubes with water circulating through them.

The spacesuit is designed in such a way that an astronaut can put it on independently in 5 minutes. The American analogues of the “output” spacesuits cannot be put on without outside help, and they are also 35 kg heavier than the Orlans.

Specialists from the Zvezda Research and Production Enterprise see the Orlan-ISS spacesuit as the basis for a lunar suit.

I think that in a fairly short period of time we could make a lunar spacesuit
Sergey Pozdnyakov, General Director of NPP Zvezda

In modern cinema, bulky space suits have long been replaced by tight suits. However, Western engineers are considering the possibility of creating such suits with a high degree of realism. It is assumed that the suit will consist of a large number of synthetic coils that will tightly fit the astronaut's body, creating a kind of cocoon, while maintaining thermoregulatory and protective functions and without restricting the astronaut's movements.

conclusions

In a relatively short period of time, the Russian spacesuit industry has stepped far forward and is a confident leader compared to its Western and Asian counterparts.

The introduction of scientific and technological progress into the process of designing and creating suits allows us to accelerate development and make more advanced space suits, quickly responding to the needs of the space industry.

Regular research and analytical work, taking into account the experience and needs of astronauts, allows us to maintain a leading position.

Create a favorable climate for private investment to accelerate the pace of industry development and the introduction of high technologies.

Support scientific developments aimed at improving the quality characteristics of space suits, ensure the necessary level of integration with various branches of science to accelerate the pace of technological progress.

Develop a scientific and analytical base for a full study of the needs and experience of astronauts on the station and in outer space for the modernization of functional systems and materials.

We're in space! Listen, my friend, let's take a walk and see what's going on outside the spaceship! To do this we need to get spacesuits. Where can I get them? Let's make some!

fruktoviysad.ru

A spacesuit is a special suit. You can get out of a spaceship in it and not be afraid that you will feel sick in space, where there is no air and everything is completely different from what we are used to seeing on Earth.

How to make a spacesuit

www.bolshoyvopros.ru

This young astronaut is not afraid of outer space, because he has a great suit. Everything needed to make it was found at home: cardboard boxes, felt-tip pens, scissors, glue, decorative ornaments, a can of silver paint.

You can make your own suit, the main thing is that you like it and fit in size, otherwise it will blow away inadvertently.

materinstvo.ru

For this spacesuit you will need the help of your mother or grandmother. You need to sew a suit from shiny fabric, but you, my young friend, can make the rest of the important details yourself. Construction set parts, old computer disks, foil and colored tape are what will help you. Don’t forget to turn on your imagination; you can’t do without it in this creative endeavor.

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Thermofoil with a soft backing is well suited for making an astronaut suit: it is convenient to cut with scissors and can be sewn or glued with tape.

www.maam.ru

A helmet for a costume does not have to be round. You are a real space suit designer - show creative thinking. Why not take a plastic bucket and cut a hole in it for your face - you'll make a chic helmet!

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You remember that in space there is no air that we are used to breathing on Earth. Therefore, you need to take care of the cylinders, figure out which tubes will supply oxygen to make the astronaut comfortable. Look for suitable plastic bottles or cardboard boxes, hoses, etc. and be sure to make a system for air supply.

moldesparamanualidades.com

www.dieangelones.ch

Don't forget about shoes! After all, it is not known what planet you will land on. What if it’s very hot there or, on the contrary, terrible frost?

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Don't be surprised if you meet other astronauts in space. Do you know how many people want to see how our Universe works?

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Video: how to make an astronaut suit

How to make an astronaut helmet

Let's talk a little more about helmets. The helmet protects the astronaut's head, so it must be comfortable and durable at the same time. You can do it in different ways.

vnitkah.ru

A balloon will help. If you inflate it well, it will be exactly shaped like a head.

womanadvice.ru

The papier-mâché technique helps to make a durable blank of the desired shape from paper and PVA glue diluted with water.

Inflate a balloon and wrap it in thin film or a plastic bag. This is necessary in order to then easily remove the finished helmet from the base ball. Cover the blank with pieces of paper in several layers to make the helmet strong. Dry thoroughly and only then burst the ball!

www.32spokes.ru

Carefully cut a hole for the face. If you make it too small, you won’t see all the interesting things in space. Use pieces of paper to firmly strengthen the cut. Now you can start decorating!

roditeli.ua

How to make a jetpack (jetpack)

In addition to the spacesuit, there is one more space thing that a real astronaut cannot do without.

A jetpack is a personal aircraft in the form of cylinders that is attached to the back.

Let's try to make it too! I offer several ideas.

www.toysew.ru

www.pinterest.com

A space backpack can be sewn or made from an old school one.

goodsi.ru

www.novate.ru

I am sure that now you can make an astronaut costume not only for yourself, but also for your friends, brothers and sisters, mom and dad! Who else will we take on the flight? Collect magnets from the new Rastishka collection and learn about my adventures! Let's conquer space together!

Dear readers! Share your space ideas in the comments, make spacesuits with your children and stay with us - there is still a lot of interesting things ahead.

Few people know that only one component was fully prepared and tested for the Soviet expedition to the Moon - the Krechet lunar space suit. Even fewer people know how it works.

With the development of jet aviation, the problems of protecting and rescuing the crew during high-altitude flights arose seriously. As pressure drops, it becomes increasingly difficult for the human body to absorb oxygen; an ordinary person can be at an altitude of no more than 4-5 km without any problems. At high altitudes, it is necessary to add oxygen to the inhaled air, and from 7-8 km a person generally must breathe pure oxygen. Above 12 km, the lungs completely lose the ability to absorb oxygen - pressure compensation is required to rise to a higher altitude.

Today, there are only two types of pressure compensation: mechanical and the creation of a gas environment with excess pressure around a person. A typical example of a solution of the first type is high-altitude compensation flight suits - for example, VKK-6, used by MiG-31 pilots. In the event of depressurization of the cabin, such a suit creates pressure, compressing the body mechanically. This costume is based on a rather ingenious idea. The pilot's body is entangled with ribbons resembling a figure eight.

A rubber bladder is inserted into the smaller hole. In the event of depressurization, compressed air is supplied to the chamber, it increases in diameter, correspondingly reducing the diameter of the ring entangling the pilot. However, this method of pressure compensation is extreme: a trained pilot in a compensating suit can spend no more than 20 minutes in a depressurized cabin at an altitude. And it is impossible to create uniform pressure on the entire body with such a suit: some areas of the body are overtightened, some are not compressed at all.

Another thing is a spacesuit, which is essentially a sealed bag in which excess pressure is created. The time a person spends in a spacesuit is practically unlimited. But it also has its drawbacks - limiting the mobility of the pilot or astronaut. What is a spacesuit sleeve? In practice, this is an air beam in which excess pressure is created (in spacesuits, a pressure of 0.4 atmospheres is usually maintained, which corresponds to an altitude of 7 km). Try bending an inflated car inner tube. A bit difficult? Therefore, one of the best-kept secrets in spacesuit production is the technology for producing special “soft” joints. But first things first.

"Vorkuta"
The first spacesuits, manufactured before the war at the Leningrad Institute named after. Gromov, were created for research purposes and were used mainly for experimental flights in stratospheric balloons. After the war, interest in spacesuits was renewed, and in 1952, a special enterprise for the production and development of such systems was opened in Tomilin, near Moscow - Plant No. 918, now NPP Zvezda. During the 50s, the company developed a whole line of experimental spacesuits, but only one of them, Vorkuta, created for the Su-9 interceptor, was produced in a small series.

Almost simultaneously with the release of Vorkuta, the company was given the task of developing a spacesuit and rescue system for the first cosmonaut. Initially, the Korolev Design Bureau issued Zvezda a technical assignment for the development of a spacesuit that was entirely connected to the ship’s life support system. However, a year before Gagarin’s flight, a new assignment was received - for a conventional protective suit, designed to save the astronaut only during his ejection and splashdown.

Opponents of the spacesuits considered the likelihood of the ship depressurizing to be extremely low. Another six months later, Korolev again changed his mind - this time in favor of spacesuits. Ready-made aviation spacesuits were taken as a basis. There was no time left for docking with the ship’s on-board system, so an autonomous version of the spacesuit’s life support system was adopted, located in the cosmonaut’s ejection seat.

The shell for the first space suit SK-1 was largely borrowed from Vorkuta, but the helmet was made completely new. The task was set extremely strictly: the spacesuit had to save the astronaut! No one knew how a person would behave during the first flight, so the life support system was built in such a way as to save the astronaut even if he lost consciousness - many functions were automated. For example, a special mechanism was installed in the helmet, controlled by a pressure sensor. And if it fell sharply in the ship, a special mechanism instantly slammed the transparent visor, completely sealing the spacesuit.

Layer by layer
Spacesuits consist of two main shells: an internal sealed shell and an external power shell. In the first Soviet spacesuits, the inner shell was made of sheet rubber using a simple gluing method. The rubber, however, was special; high-quality natural rubber was used for its production. Starting with the Sokol rescue suits, the sealed shell became rubber-fabric, but in spacesuits intended for spacewalks, there is no alternative to sheet rubber yet.

“Lunar” spacesuit of astronauts participating in the Apollo missions.

The outer shell is fabric. Americans use nylon for it, we use the domestic analogue, nylon. It protects the rubber shell from damage and keeps its shape. It’s hard to come up with a better analogy than a soccer ball: a leather outer cover protects the inner rubber bladder from football players’ boots and ensures the ball’s geometric dimensions remain unchanged.

No person can spend a long time in a rubber bag (those who have army experience of forced marches in a rubberized combined arms protective kit will understand this especially well). Therefore, every spacesuit must have a ventilation system: through some channels, conditioned air is supplied to the entire body, through others it is sucked out.

According to the method of operation of the life support system, spacesuits are divided into two types - ventilation and regeneration. In the first, simpler in design, the used air is thrown out, similar to modern scuba gear. The first SK-1 spacesuits, Leonov’s spacewalk suit “Berkut” and light rescue suits “Falcon” were designed according to this principle.

Thermos
For a long stay in space and on the surface of the Moon, long-term regeneration suits were required - “Orlan” and “Krechet”. In them, the exhaled gas is regenerated, moisture is removed from it, the air is saturated with oxygen and cooled. In fact, such a spacesuit replicates in miniature the life support system of an entire spacecraft. Under the spacesuit, the astronaut wears a special mesh water-cooling suit, all pierced with plastic tubes containing coolant. Heating problems in exit suits (intended for spacewalks) never arose, even if the astronaut worked in the shade, where the temperature rapidly drops to -100C.

The fact is that the outer overalls ideally serve as heat-protective clothing. For this purpose, screen-vacuum insulation, operating on the principle of a thermos, was used for the first time. Under the outer protective shell of the overalls there are five to six layers of a special film made of a special polyethylene, terifthalate, with aluminum sprayed on both sides. In a vacuum, heat exchange between film layers is possible only due to radiation, which is reflected back by the mirror aluminum surface. External heat transfer in a vacuum in such a spacesuit is so small that it is considered equal to zero, and only internal heat transfer is taken into account in the calculation.

For the first time, screen-vacuum thermal protection was used on the Berkut, in which Leonov went into outer space. However, under the first rescue suits, which did not work in a vacuum, they wore a TVK (thermal protective ventilated suit), made of warm quilted material, in which the ventilation lines were laid. This is not the case in modern Falcon rescue suits.

In addition to all this, the astronauts wear cotton underwear with a special antibacterial impregnation, under which there is the last element - a special bib with telemetric sensors attached to it, transmitting information about the state of the astronaut’s body.

Falcons
Spacesuits were not always on ships. After six successful flights of the Vostoks, they were recognized as useless cargo, and all further ships (Voskhod and Soyuz) were designed to fly without standard spacesuits. It was advisable to use only external spacesuits for spacewalks. However, the death of Dobrovolsky, Volkov and Patsayev in 1971 as a result of depressurization of the Soyuz-11 cabin forced us to return to a proven solution. However, the old spacesuits did not fit into the new ship. They urgently began to adapt the “Falcon” light suit, originally developed for the T-4 supersonic strategic bomber, to suit space needs.

The task was not easy. If during the landing of the Vostok the cosmonaut ejected, then the Voskhod and Soyuz carried out a soft landing with the crew inside. It was only relatively soft - the impact upon landing was noticeable. The shock was absorbed by the Kazbek energy-absorbing chair, developed by the same Zvezda. “Kazbek” was molded individually for each cosmonaut who lay in it without a single gap. Therefore, the ring to which the spacesuit helmet is attached would certainly break the astronaut’s cervical vertebra upon impact.

In "Falcon" an original solution was found - a sector helmet that does not cover the back of the spacesuit, which is made soft. A number of emergency systems and a heat-protective layer were also removed from the Falcon, since in the event of a splashdown when leaving the Soyuz, the cosmonauts had to change into special suits. The life support system of the spacesuit was also greatly simplified, designed for only two hours of operation.

As a result, “Falcon” became a bestseller: since 1973, more than 280 of them have been produced. In the early 90s, two Falcons were sold to China, and the first Chinese cosmonaut flew to conquer space in an exact copy of the Russian spacesuit. True, unlicensed. But no one has sold spacesuits for outer space to the Chinese, so they don’t even plan to go into outer space yet.

Cuirassiers
In order to facilitate the design and increase the mobility of external spacesuits, there was a whole direction (primarily in the USA) that studied the possibility of creating all-metal rigid spacesuits reminiscent of deep-sea diving suits. However, the idea found partial implementation only in the USSR. The Soviet spacesuits "Krechet" and "Orlan" received a combined shell - a hard body and soft legs and arms. The body itself, which designers call a cuirass, is welded from individual elements of an AMG type aluminum alloy. This combined scheme turned out to be extremely successful and is now being copied by the Americans. And it arose out of necessity.

The American lunar spacesuit was made according to the classical design. The entire life support system was located in a leaky backpack on the astronaut's back. Soviet designers might also have followed this scheme, if not for one “but”. The power of the Soviet N-1 lunar rocket made it possible to deliver only one cosmonaut to the Moon, unlike two American ones, and it was not possible to put on a classic spacesuit alone. That's why the idea of ​​a rigid cuirass with a door on the back for entry inside was put forward.

A special cable system and a side lever made it possible to securely close the lid behind you. The entire life support system was located in a hinged door and did not operate in a vacuum, like the Americans, but in a normal atmosphere, which simplified the design. True, the helmet had to be made not rotating, as in early models, but monolithic with the body. The view was compensated by a much larger glass area. The helmets in the spacesuits themselves are so interesting that they deserve a separate chapter.

Helmet everyone's head
The helmet is the most important part of the spacesuit. Even in the “aviation” period, spacesuits were divided into two types - masked and maskless. In the first, the pilot used an oxygen mask through which an air mixture was supplied for breathing. In the second, the helmet was separated from the rest of the spacesuit by a kind of collar, a sealed neck curtain. This helmet played the role of a large oxygen mask with a continuous supply of breathing mixture. As a result, the maskless concept won, which provided better ergonomics, although it required more oxygen consumption for breathing. Such helmets migrated into space.

Space helmets were also divided into two types - removable and non-removable. The first SK-1 was equipped with a non-removable helmet, but Leonov’s “Berkut” and “Yastreb” (in which Eliseev and Khrunov moved from ship to ship in 1969) had removable helmets. Moreover, they were connected by a special hermetic connector with a hermetic bearing, which made it possible for the astronaut to turn his head. The turning mechanism was quite interesting.

The newsreel footage clearly shows the astronauts' headsets, which are made of fabric and thin leather. They are equipped with communication systems - headphones and microphones. So, the convex headphones of the headset fit into special grooves in the hard helmet, and when you turned your head, the helmet began to rotate along with your head, like the turret of a tank. The design was quite cumbersome and was later abandoned. On modern spacesuits, the helmets are not removable.

A mandatory element of a helmet for spacewalks is a light filter. Leonov had a small internal airplane-type filter, coated with a thin layer of silver. When going into space, Leonov felt a very intense heating of the lower part of his face, and when looking towards the Sun, the protective properties of the silver filter turned out to be insufficient - the light was dazzlingly bright. Based on this experience, all subsequent spacesuits began to be equipped with full external light filters sputtered with a fairly thick layer of pure gold, providing only 34% of light transmission. The largest glass area is in Orlan.

Moreover, the latest models even have a special window on top to improve visibility. It is almost impossible to break the “glass” of the helmet: it is made of heavy-duty Lexan polycarbonate, which is also used, for example, in glazing the armored cabins of combat helicopters. However, the Orlan costs as much as two combat helicopters. They do not name the exact price, but they suggest focusing on the cost of the American analogue - $12 million.

Astronaut spacesuits are not just suits for flying in orbit. The first of them appeared at the beginning of the twentieth century. This was a time when almost half a century remained before space flights. However, scientists understood that the exploration of extraterrestrial spaces, the conditions of which differ from those familiar to us, is inevitable. That is why, for future flights, they came up with astronaut equipment that can protect a person from a deadly external environment.

Spacesuit concept

What is equipment for space flights? The spacesuit is a kind of miracle of technology. It is a miniature space station that follows the shape of the human body.

A modern spacesuit is equipped with a whole astronaut. But, despite the complexity of the device, everything in it is compact and convenient.

History of creation

The word "spacesuit" has French roots. This concept was introduced in 1775 by the mathematician abbot Jean Baptiste de Pas Chapelle. Of course, at the end of the 18th century, no one even dreamed of flying into space. The word “diving suit,” which translated from Greek means “boat-man,” was decided to be applied to diving equipment.

With the advent of the space age, this concept began to be used in the Russian language. Only here it acquired a slightly different meaning. The man began to climb higher and higher. In this regard, there was a need for special equipment. So, at an altitude of up to seven kilometers, this means warm clothes and an oxygen mask. Distances within ten thousand meters, due to a drop in pressure, require a pressurized cabin and a compensating suit. Otherwise, during depressurization, the pilot’s lungs will stop absorbing oxygen. Well, what if you go even higher? In this case, you will need a space suit. It should be quite airtight. In this case, the internal pressure in the spacesuit (usually within 40 percent of atmospheric pressure) will save the life of the pilot.

In the 1920s, a number of articles by the English physiologist John Holden appeared. It was in them that the author proposed the use of diving suits to protect the health and life of balloonists. The author even tried to implement his ideas into practice. He built a similar spacesuit and tested it in a pressure chamber, where the pressure was set corresponding to an altitude of 25.6 km. However, building balloons capable of rising into the stratosphere is not a cheap pleasure. And the American balloonist Mark Ridge, for whom the unique suit was intended, unfortunately did not raise funds. That is why Holden’s spacesuit was not tested in practice.

In our country, engineer Evgeniy Chertovsky, who was an employee of the Institute of Aviation Medicine, worked on space suits. Over the course of nine years, from 1931 to 1940, he developed 7 models of hermetic equipment. The first Soviet engineer in the world solved the problem of mobility. The fact is that when rising to a certain height, the suit swelled. After this, the pilot was forced to make great efforts even to simply bend his leg or arm. That is why the Ch-2 model was designed by an engineer with hinges.

In 1936, a new version of space equipment appeared. This is the Ch-3 model, containing almost all the parts present in modern spacesuits used by Russian cosmonauts. The test of this version of special equipment took place on May 19, 1937. The TB-3 heavy bomber was used as an aircraft.

Since 1936, cosmonaut spacesuits began to be developed by young engineers of the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute. They were inspired to do this by the premiere of the science-fiction film “Space Flight,” created together with Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.

The first spacesuit with the index SK-STEPS-1 was designed, manufactured and tested by young engineers in just 1937. Even the external impression of this equipment indicated its extraterrestrial purpose. In the first model, a belt connector was provided to connect the lower and upper parts. Significant mobility was provided by shoulder joints. The shell of this suit was made of two-layer

The next version of the spacesuit was distinguished by the presence of an autonomous regeneration system designed for 6 hours of continuous operation. In 1940, the last Soviet pre-war spacesuit was created - SK-STEPS-8. This equipment was tested on the I-153 fighter.

Creation of special production

In the post-war years, the initiative to design spacesuits for astronauts was taken over by the Flight Research Institute. Its specialists received the task of developing suits designed for aviation pilots conquering ever new speeds and heights. However, one institute was clearly not enough for mass production. That is why in October 1952, engineer Alexander Boyko created a special workshop. It was located in Tomilino, near Moscow, at plant No. 918. Today this enterprise is called NPP Zvezda. It was on it that Gagarin’s spacesuit was created at one time.

Flights into space

At the end of the 1950s, a new era of exploration of extraterrestrial space began. It was during this period that Soviet design engineers began designing the Vostok spacecraft, the first space vehicle. However, it was initially planned that astronaut spacesuits would not be needed for this rocket. The pilot had to be in a special sealed container, which would be separated from the descent vehicle before landing. However, this scheme turned out to be very cumbersome and, in addition, required lengthy tests. That is why in August 1960 the internal layout of the Vostok was redesigned.

Specialists from Sergei Korolev's bureau replaced the container with an ejection seat. In this regard, future cosmonauts needed protection in case of depressurization. This is what the spacesuit became. However, there was sorely not enough time for its docking with the on-board systems. In this regard, everything that was necessary for the pilot’s life support was placed directly in the seat.

The first cosmonaut spacesuits were called SK-1. They were based on the Vorkuta high-altitude suit, designed for pilots of the SU-9 interceptor fighter. Only the helmet was completely reconstructed. A mechanism was installed in it, which was controlled by a special sensor. When the pressure in the suit dropped, the transparent visor instantly slammed shut.

Equipment for astronauts was made to individual measurements. For the first flight, it was created for those who showed the best level of training. This is the top three, which included Yuri Gagarin, German Titov and Grigory Nelyubov.

It is interesting that the astronauts were in space after the spacesuit. One of the special suits of the SK-1 brand was sent into orbit during two test unmanned launches of the Vostok spacecraft, which took place in March 1961. In addition to the experimental mongrels, there was a dummy “Ivan Ivanovich” on board, dressed in a spacesuit. A cage with guinea pigs and mice was installed in the chest of this artificial person. And so that casual witnesses of the landing would not mistake “Ivan Ivanovich” for an alien, a sign with the inscription “Model” was placed under the visor of his spacesuit.

SK-1 spacesuits were used during five manned flights of the Vostok spacecraft. However, female astronauts could not fly in them. The SK-2 model was created for them. It was first used during the flight of the Vostok-6 spacecraft. We made this spacesuit, taking into account the structural features of the female body, for Valentina Tereshkova.

Developments of American specialists

When implementing the Mercury program, US designers followed the path of Soviet engineers, while making their own proposals. Thus, the first American spacesuit took into account the fact that astronauts in space in the future will remain in orbit longer.

Designer Russell Colley produced a special Navy Mark suit, originally intended for flights by naval aviation pilots. Unlike other models, this spacesuit was flexible and had a relatively low weight. To use this option in space programs, several changes were made to the design, which primarily affected the helmet design.

The American spacesuits have proven their reliability. Only once, when the Mercury 4 capsule splashed down and began to sink, the suit almost killed astronaut Virgil Grisson. The pilot barely managed to get out, as he could not disconnect from the on-board life support system for a long time.

Creation of autonomous spacesuits

Due to the rapid pace of space exploration, it was necessary to design new special suits. After all, the first models were only emergency rescue. Due to the fact that they were attached to the life support system of a manned spacecraft, the astronauts could not go into space wearing such equipment. To enter open extraterrestrial space, it was necessary to construct an autonomous spacesuit. The designers of the USSR and the USA took up this task.

The Americans, for their Gemini space program, created new modifications of the G3C, G4C, and G5C spacesuits. The second of them was intended for spacewalks. Despite the fact that all American spacesuits were connected to the on-board life support system, they had an autonomous device built into them. If necessary, its resources would be sufficient to support the life of an astronaut for half an hour.

On June 3, 1965, American Edward White went into outer space wearing a G4C spacesuit. However, he was not a pioneer. Two and a half months before him, Alexei Leonov visited the spacecraft next to the ship. For this historic flight, Soviet engineers developed the Berkut spacesuit. It differed from SK-1 in the presence of a second hermetic shell. In addition, the suit had a backpack equipped with oxygen cylinders, and a light filter was built into its helmet.

While in outer space, a person was connected to the ship by a seven-meter halyard, which included a shock-absorbing device, electrical wires, a steel cable and a hose for emergency oxygen supply. The historic exit into extraterrestrial space took place on March 18, 1965. It was located within 23 minutes. 41 sec.

Spacesuits for lunar exploration

After mastering the earth's orbit, man moved on. And his first goal was to fly to the moon. But for this we needed special autonomous spacesuits that would allow us to stay outside the ship for several hours. And they were created by the Americans during the development of the Apollo program. These suits provided protection for the astronaut from solar overheating and micrometeorites. The first version of lunar spacesuits developed was called A5L. However, it was later improved. The new modification of the A6L has a heat-insulating shell. The A7L version was a fire-resistant option.

Lunar spacesuits were one-piece multi-layer suits with flexible rubber joints. There were metal rings on the cuffs and collar designed to attach sealed gloves and a helmet. The spacesuits were fastened with a vertical zipper sewn from the groin to the neck.

The Americans set foot on the surface of the Moon on July 21, 1969. During this flight, the A7L spacesuits found their use.

Soviet cosmonauts were also planning to go to the Moon. For this flight, the Krechet spacesuits were created. It was a semi-rigid version of the suit, which had a special door on the back. The astronaut had to climb into it, thus putting on the equipment. The door was closed from the inside. For this purpose, a side lever and a complex cable circuit were provided. There was also a life support system inside the suit. Unfortunately, Soviet cosmonauts never managed to visit the Moon. But the spacesuit created for such flights was later used in the development of other models.

Equipment for the newest ships

Beginning in 1967, the Soviet Union began launching Soyuz. These were vehicles designed to create the time spent on them by astronauts invariably increased.

For flights on Soyuz spacecraft, the Yastreb spacesuit was manufactured. Its differences from the Berkut were in the design of the life support system. With its help, the respiratory mixture was circulated inside the spacesuit. Here it was cleaned of harmful impurities and carbon dioxide, and then cooled.

The new Sokol-K rescue suit was used during the Soyuz-12 flight in September 1973. Even sales representatives from China purchased more advanced models of these protective suits. It is interesting that when the manned spacecraft "Shanzhou" was launched, the astronauts in it were dressed in equipment very reminiscent of the Russian model.

For spacewalks, Soviet designers created the Orlan spacesuit. This is an autonomous semi-rigid equipment, similar to the lunar Krechet. You also had to put it on through a door in the back. But, unlike the Krechet, the Orlan was universal. His sleeves and trouser legs were easily adjusted to the desired height.

Not only Russian cosmonauts flew in Orlan spacesuits. The Chinese made their “Feitian” based on this equipment. They went into outer space in them.

Spacesuits of the future

Today, NASA is developing new space programs. These include flights to asteroids, to the Moon, and this is why the development of new modifications of spacesuits continues, which in the future will have to combine all the positive qualities of a working suit and rescue equipment. It is still unknown which option the developers will choose.

Maybe it will be a heavy, hard spacesuit that protects a person from all negative external influences, or maybe modern technologies will make it possible to create a universal shell, the elegance of which will be appreciated by future female astronauts.

Spacesuit... Space clothing... From documentary photographs (and science fiction films), cosmonauts dressed in spacesuits look at us through the raised visors of their helmets. The pages of science fiction novels show us the astronauts of the future with their indispensable props - a spacesuit. What role does a spacesuit play in space flight? Will it continue in the future? How will it change?

A modern space “suit” has one main and only purpose - it must protect a person in flight from dangers. The “fashion” of space clothing, its “cut” are entirely subordinated to this goal; its creators try to predict all possible dangers in space. The spacesuit will protect a person from the space “emptiness” bursting into the rocket if an accidental accident depressurizes the ship. He will supply the pilot with air if he suddenly becomes unable to breathe the cabin air. It can serve as a refrigerator and a heating device. If an astronaut leaves a ship returning to Earth, only the spacesuit protects him. It protects from impact with the air during ejection from a ship, from the rarefied atmosphere when descending by parachute, and protects from bruises when landing in a forest or in the mountains. And if the astronaut lands on the water, the spacesuit will keep him afloat and prevent him from freezing in the icy water.

In future space flights, there will be more work for astronauts. Accordingly, the role of the spacesuit will become more complicated.

A visit to other planets will require a special planetary spacesuit that will allow you to get out of the spacecraft, take more or less long “walks” both on the hot soil on the illuminated side of the Moon, and on the ice covers of the polar “caps”, and, perhaps, on boiling oceans of Venus.

The development of astronautics will apparently require man to leave the spacecraft into open interplanetary space, for example, to assemble orbital stations or to inspect and repair spacecraft. A spacesuit designed for outer space will differ from both the modern one and the future planetary one. Take the method of transportation, for example. You can move in outer space only with the help of a rocket engine. This means that the suit will have to have a rocket propulsion system. It can operate, for example, on compressed air.

WHAT A COSMONAUT BREATHES

Normal breathing in any situation is one of the most important tasks solved during the creation of a spacesuit. Depending on how the spacesuits are equipped, they can be divided into two types, ventilation and regeneration. If the flight proceeds normally, then air for both body ventilation and breathing is taken from the ship’s cabin. The fan forces it into the ventilation system of the spacesuit, blows it over the human body and returns to the cabin. The astronaut breathes cabin air, which freely enters the helmet when the front window is raised. But if for some reason the cabin air becomes unbreathable, the front glass of the helmet (it is lowered manually or automatically) isolates the astronaut from the cabin atmosphere, and an oxygen-air mixture will begin to flow into the suit. At the same time it switches to emergency compressed air cylinders and ventilation.
The regeneration suit is completely isolated from the environment. In this case, the gas mixture that a person breathes and that ventilates the spacesuit is forced through a chemical absorber and filter. Here it is freed from carbon dioxide, moisture and other impurities emitted by humans. Replenishment of oxygen can be carried out in several ways: either through reserves from cylinders, or through a chemical reaction, and in the future, possibly, photochemically.

An example of such a regenerative oxygen supply system is the spacesuit of American astronauts. The supply of oxygen, designed for 28 hours of flight, is stored in two spherical cylinders under pressure initially exceeding 560 atmospheres. Through a reducer, which reduces the pressure to 0.36 atmospheres, oxygen is supplied to the ventilation system of the spacesuit and mixed with the gas coming out of the hermetic helmet. The resulting gas mixture is passed through a carbon dioxide and moisture absorber, filter and heat exchanger. Pure oxygen, cooled to 18-24 degrees, comes out of this purification unit. It is fed into the spacesuit through a valve located at the level of the astronaut’s waist, and through distribution tubes (spirals lined with nylon, in which holes are made) it goes through the spacesuit, washes the body and penetrates the hermetic helmet. And then the gas mixture is sucked out of the suit by a fan and, again replenished with oxygen from the cylinders, begins a new circulation cycle.

Aviation spacesuits - regeneration and ventilation - can be made in two versions: masked and maskless. In the first case, as the name implies, a mask is put on a person’s face, into which the respiratory mixture enters. In the second case, oxygen is supplied directly to the helmet, the person’s face remains open. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each of these options?

The mask allows you to create a completely independent breathing system, isolated from the ventilation system of the spacesuit. In addition, the valve device supplies a mixture of gases only at the moment of inhalation, which means that oxygen is consumed more economically. Moist exhaled air is discharged through the pipeline immediately for cleaning, without getting into the helmet and without worsening the hygienic conditions of the spacesuit ventilation. However, there is a “but” here. Wearing a mask throughout the entire flight, especially a long one, is perhaps not entirely pleasant. It interferes with work, it is very uncomfortable to eat and drink in it.

Therefore, both the first Soviet and American cosmonauts wore maskless spacesuits during their flights. It is best if a person in space flight breathes normal, “earthly” air.

DECOMPRESSION

During the flights, the astronauts breathed cabin air, the front glass of the helmet was raised and their faces were open. There were no surprises. What if, for example, a meteorite impact broke the seal of the ship’s cabin?

A sharp drop in air pressure - explosive decompression - is a phenomenon known in high-altitude aviation. Explosive decompression is more terrible the greater the unexpected difference in air pressure. The period of time from the moment of the accident until the person loses consciousness is called reserve time. For example, experiments conducted by doctors during the years of mastering airplane flights at high altitudes showed that a sharp decrease in oxygen concentration from the normal atmosphere to the corresponding altitude of 10 kilometers leads to loss of consciousness after 40 seconds. If the vacuum corresponds to an altitude of 15 kilometers, then the reserve is reduced to 15 seconds.

When a spacecraft depressurizes, the pressure drop cannot occur instantly; it will take at least a few seconds. At this time, the astronaut will have time to lower and seal the front glass of the helmet. If he gets confused, an automatic device will do this for him.

But here a new complication appears: a pressure difference will arise inside and outside the spacesuit. The air enclosed in the suit, trying to escape from captivity, will begin to inflate, or, as experts say, load its power shell. Two undesirable consequences accompany this fact. Let's tell you more about them.

Any material stretches to a greater or lesser extent under load. The material of the power shell of the spacesuit also has this property. It’s easy to imagine what stretching a spacesuit would lead to. The helmet fits precisely on the head, the feet are shod in tightly laced boots. Under the influence of a pressure difference, the helmet will tend to come off the spacesuit, the distance between it and the boots will increase, and the spacesuit will begin to stretch the astronaut. With what force?

It is easy to calculate that with a pressure difference in the cabin and inside the suit equal to, say, 0.36 atmospheres, which corresponds to American space suits, this force reaches 200-300 kilograms. Naturally, the spacesuit must have some kind of “power” elements that absorb the load and prevent stretching. The spacesuits of American astronauts have cords that attract the helmet to the power shell. The shell itself, made of very durable fabric, has seams into which cords are sewn to strengthen it.

The second consequence of the pressure difference is limited mobility of a person in a spacesuit. What is meant here are not the inconveniences that are generally caused by the bulkiness of the spacesuit as clothing. If the spacesuit did not have special devices, then in the presence of a pressure difference it would be very difficult to even simply bend the arm, and with significant excess pressure in the spacesuit it would be completely impossible to do this. This is explained by the fact that its soft shells tend to straighten under the influence of internal pressure. Try inflating an ordinary heating pad, and then bend it - it will immediately straighten out.

In order for the astronaut to move relatively freely in his attire, the spacesuit must be equipped with special devices, for example, such as the hinges of the American space suit, called “orange peels”. They are corrugated sections of sleeves and trouser legs.

American scientists see the main difficulty in creating spacesuit hinges in the need to ensure longitudinal rigidity - to prevent the “accordion” of the joint from stretching. This is achieved by ingenious combinations of cords sliding along rollers or enclosed in guide shells.

THE EARTHLY ROLE OF A SPACE SUIT

Until quite recently, there was an opinion that there is a terrifying cold in space, that the temperature there is close to absolute zero. However, according to the latest scientific data, the speeds of gas particles in interplanetary space are so high that they correspond to temperatures of thousands of degrees. Does this mean that all life in space will inevitably burn to ashes?

No, the density of interplanetary gas is so negligible that the heat exchange with it of any body entering space is practically zero. The surface temperature of a body in outer space is determined essentially by the heat exchange between this body and the Sun. And if it were not for this heat exchange, then we would have to wait many thousands of years until the temperature of a satellite launched from Earth would be equal to the temperature of particles in outer space.

What then is the role of the heat-insulating suit included in the space suit? Its purpose is mainly earthly. If a spaceship lands in cold regions of the globe, the spacesuit will protect the astronaut from any frost. Even in icy water, a person wearing a space suit can swim for many hours without fear for his health.

During a space flight, a spacesuit with its heat-insulating suit and ventilation system can provide the astronaut with comfortable temperature conditions, regardless of the temperature and humidity in the cabin of the ship and even in the event of its depressurization.

P.S. What else are British scientists talking about: that it is interesting to know what astronauts’ wedding photo books look like. Are there any photos of people wearing spacesuits? In general, it would be cool to have a wedding on a spaceship, with photos in outer space, don’t you think?