The suit consists of. Where are spacesuits made for Russian cosmonauts - Davydov.Index

April 12, 2010 marks exactly 49 years since the first space flight by Yuri Gagarin in 1961. On this day, the entire planet celebrates World Aviation and Cosmonautics Day.

On this occasion, I decided to write a post about space suits - to talk about the history of their origin, design and, if possible, compare our space suits with their American counterparts.

A little pre-space history

The need to create a spacesuit appeared in the early 30s. The fact is that test pilots, even wearing oxygen helmets, could not rise to altitudes greater than 12 km due to low atmospheric pressure. At this altitude, nitrogen dissolved in human tissues begins to transform into a gaseous state, which leads to pain.

Therefore, in 1931, engineer E. Chertovsky designed the first spacesuit “Ch-1”. It was a simple sealed suit with a helmet equipped with a small glass for viewing. In general, in “Ch-1” you could do whatever you wanted, but not work. But nevertheless, it became a breakthrough. Later, before the war, Chertovsky managed to design six more models of spacesuits.

After the war, the first jet fighters began to appear, which sharply raised the bar for maximum heights. In 1947-1950, a group of designers led by A. Boyko created the first post-war spacesuits, called VSS-01 and VSS-04 (high-altitude rescue suit). They were hermetic overalls made of rubberized fabric, to which permanent flip-up helmets and oxygen masks were attached. Excess pressure at altitude was released with a special valve.

Start of development

In general, the development of spacesuits did not go very well for us at first. The fact is that the existing developments of spacesuits were useless in the event of depressurization of the ship in space. And the designers have nothing to do with it - they were simply given the task of developing a protective suit designed to save the astronaut only after landing or splashdown of the descent module. Among the opponents of the spacesuits were even some of the ship's designers - they considered the possibility of depressurization negligible. Their words were confirmed by Laika’s successful flight into the GZhK (pressurized cabin for animals)

The disputes were stopped only after Korolev’s personal intervention. At the same time, there were only 8 months left before Gagarin’s flight. During this time, the SK-1 spacesuit was created

There are 3 classes of spacesuits:

Rescue suits - serve to protect astronauts in the event of depressurization of the cabin or in case of significant deviations of the parameters of its gaseous environment from the norm;
spacesuits for working in outer space on or near the surface of a spacecraft
spacesuits for working on the surface of celestial bodies

SK-1 was a first category spacesuit. It was used during all flights of the first series of Vostok ships.

SK-1 “worked” in tandem with a special heat-protective suit, which was worn by the astronaut under the main protective suit. The overalls were not just clothes, it was an entire engineering structure with built-in pipelines for a ventilation system that maintained the necessary thermal regime of the body and removed moisture from the products of respiration. In unforeseen conditions, the life support system of the spacesuit (LSS) together with the cabin LSS “extended” the cosmonaut’s existence by 10 days. In the event of depressurization of the cabin, the transparent “visor” - the helmet window - was automatically closed and the air supply from the ship’s cylinders was turned on.

But he had a significant drawback. Its soft shell, under the influence of internal excess pressure, always tends to take the shape of a body of rotation and straighten. It is not so easy to bend any part of it, say a sleeve or a trouser leg, and the greater the internal pressure, the more difficult it is to do so. When working in the first space suits, due to their relatively low mobility, the astronauts had to expend considerable additional effort, which ultimately led to an increase in the intensity of metabolic processes in the body. Because of this, in turn, it was necessary to increase the weight and dimensions of the oxygen reserves, as well as the cooling system units.

The SK-2 spacesuit was also created. Essentially this is the same SK-1, only for women. It had a slightly different shape, taking into account their physiological characteristics.

Analogue

The American analogue of our SK-1 was the spacesuit for the Mercury spacecraft. It was also exclusively a rescue suit and was manufactured in 1961

In addition, it had a metallized outer layer to reflect heat rays.

Golden eagle

In mid-1964, the leaders of the Soviet space program decided on a new experiment in orbit - the first manned spacewalk into outer space. This circumstance posed a number of new technical challenges for spacesuit developers. They, of course, were dictated by serious differences between the internal environment of the spacecraft and the conditions of external space - the realm of almost complete vacuum, harmful radiation and extreme temperatures.

The developers were given two main tasks:

Firstly, the spacesuit for spacewalk had to protect against overheating if the astronaut is on the sunny side, and, conversely, against cooling if in the shade (the temperature difference between them is more than 100°C). It was also supposed to protect against solar radiation and meteoric matter.

Secondly, to ensure maximum safety for a person, be extremely reliable and have a minimum volume and weight. But the most important thing is that with all this, the astronaut in it must be able to work, i.e. move around the ship, perform certain work, etc.

All these requirements were implemented in the Berkut spacesuit.

By the way, starting with the Berkut, all our spacesuits began to be called by bird names.

The suit was made of several layers of film with a shiny aluminum surface. The space between the layers was specially provided with a gap in order to reduce heat transfer in any direction. The principle of a thermos is that heat is not taken in or given off. In addition, the layers of film-fabric are separated by a special mesh material. As a result, it was possible to achieve a very high level of thermal resistance. The astronaut's eyes were protected by a special light filter made of tinted organic glass, almost half a centimeter thick. It played a dual role - it weakened the intensity of sunlight and did not allow the biologically dangerous part of the rays of the solar spectrum to pass to the face.

The first spacewalk had limited objectives. Therefore, the life support system seemed relatively simple and was designed for 45 minutes of operation. It was placed in a backpack with an oxygen device and cylinders with a capacity of 2 liters. A fitting for filling them and a pressure gauge window for monitoring the pressure were attached to the body of the backpack. Air was taken from the ship, which was further enriched with oxygen and entered the spacesuit. The same air carried away the heat, moisture, carbon dioxide, and harmful impurities released by the astronaut. Such a system is called an open type system

The entire system fit into a backpack measuring 520x320x120 mm, which was fastened to the back using a quick-release connector. For emergencies, a backup oxygen system was installed in the airlock chamber, which was connected to the spacesuit using a hose.

Analogue

The analogue for the golden eagle was the spacesuit for the Geminai ships

Its ship version (I don’t know what else to call it) was an ordinary rescue suit. A modified version was designed to work outside the spacecraft

For this purpose, thermal and micrometeorite protection shells were added to the main suit.

Hawk

Since 1967, flights of new Soyuz-type spacecraft began, the fundamental difference of which from their predecessors was that they were already manned aircraft. And, therefore, the potential time for a person to work in space outside the ship should have increased. Accordingly, it was impossible to be in a spacesuit all the time. It was worn only at the most critical moments - takeoff, landing. In addition, the question arose about launching several ships into orbit and docking them, which involved carrying out operations related to the passage of people through outer space.

For these purposes, a new spacesuit with a new life support system was developed. They called him "Hawk"

This spacesuit was basically similar to the Berkut, the differences were in a different breathing system, which was of the so-called regeneration type. The breathing mixture circulated inside the suit in a closed circuit, where it was cleared of carbon dioxide and harmful impurities, fed with oxygen and cooled. Oxygen cylinders remained part of the system, but the oxygen they contained was used only to compensate for leaks and for the astronaut’s consumption. For this system, it was necessary to create several unique units at once: an evaporative heat exchanger operating in specific conditions of weightlessness; carbon dioxide absorber; an electric motor that operates safely in a pure oxygen atmosphere and creates the necessary air circulation inside the spacesuit, and others.

Air cooling was used to cool the astronaut's body. To do this, it is necessary to drive a very large volume of gas through the spacesuit. This, in turn, requires a fan with a power of several hundred watts, as well as large amounts of electricity. And strong airflow is not very pleasant for an astronaut.

A noticeable advantage was that the weight of the spacesuit does not exceed 8-10 kg, and the thickness of the shell package is minimal. This makes it possible to use it with an individual texture of shock-absorbing seats, weakening the effect of overloads during insertion into orbit and descent.

In practice, the Yastreb was used only once - for the transition from Soyuz-5 to Soyuz-4.

Analogue

I have not found a specific American analogue to the Hawk. The space suit for the early Apollos seems to be somewhat suitable for it.

Merlin

An innovative 3rd category spacesuit was built for the flight to the Moon. In the spacesuit, the astronaut had to maintain such motor and working abilities that are considered elementary on earth. For example, moving along the lunar surface, taking into account the fact that “walks” can take place on different terrain; be able to get to your feet in case of a fall, to make contact with the lunar “earth”, the temperature of which fluctuates within a very wide range (in the shade and in the light from -130°C to +160°C); work with instruments, collect samples of lunar rocks and perform primitive drilling. The astronaut had to be provided with the opportunity to refresh himself with special liquid food, as well as remove urine from the spacesuit. In a word, the entire life support system was designed for more difficult working conditions than those that existed during the orbital exits of the researchers.

Taking into account these requirements, under the leadership of A. Stoklitsky, the Krechet spacesuit was created

It had a so-called “semi-rigid” shell, and instead of a backpack, it had a built-in life support system. It was from him that the phrase “enter the spacesuit” came from. Because the cosmonaut entered Krechet using the “door” on his back. All life support systems were located in the “door”

Krechet's systems ensured a record-breaking autonomous stay of a person on the Moon - up to 10 hours, during which the researcher could perform work with great physical exertion. For thermal cooling, a water cooling suit was used for the first time, because... water cooling is the only possible method of maintaining acceptable thermal conditions in a spacesuit during intense work of an astronaut. To remove 300-500 kcal/h of heat, the water flow through the water cooling suit was 1.5-2 l/min, the required length of the cooling tubes was about 100 meters. To pump water, a pump with a motor power of several watts was used.

Simultaneously with water cooling, there was a circuit for circulating and regenerating the air inside the suit and removing moisture. There was also a supply of oxygen to compensate for leaks.

Analogue

This is perhaps the only case when the American analogue is more famous than ours. It was in it that Neil Armstrong set foot on the surface of the Moon in 1969

The suit was made of high-strength synthetic fabrics, metal and plastics. Under the spacesuit, the astronaut wore a lightweight one-piece suit with sensors for biotelemetry. In addition, a special water cooling suit was also worn under the spacesuit, which was designed for continuous operation for 115 hours. This nylon spandex suit had a system of polyvinyl chloride tubes with a total length of about 90 m, through which cold water continuously circulated, absorbing the heat generated by the body and discharging it to an external refrigerator. Thanks to this suit, the skin temperature in various parts of the body did not go beyond 40°C.

There were special wire ties on the palm that prevented the glove from inflating when there was excess pressure in the spacesuit. To ensure manual dexterity, the fingers of the gloves had grip extensions with which the astronaut could lift small objects.

The astronaut's helmet was made of transparent polycarbonate and had great impact resistance. Its spherical shape gave the astronaut the ability to turn his head in any direction. Oxygen entered the helmet at a rate of 162 l/min, and a pressure connector on the left side of the helmet allowed the astronaut in the spacesuit to drink or eat food. The backpack life support system was attached to the back of the spacesuit and on Earth the oars weighed 56.625 kg (for the most meticulous - 554.925 n).

Orlan

After landing on the Moon, all work on Krechet stopped. However, the set of the lunar program also included the Orlan spacesuit - for orbital work

They returned to its development in 1969, when work began on the first orbital station. It is the Orlan modifications that we used on Mir and are now used on the ISS.

Everyone knows that crews at orbital stations change.

However, the spacesuits that existed before were individual and did not have the ability to be adjusted. Consequently, for each new station crew member they had to be manufactured and launched into space, which was ineffective given the limited cargo capabilities of the Soyuz and Progress spacecraft. However, thanks to the semi-rigid design in Orlan, only the spacesuit gloves were individual, which were delivered by the crew, while the spacesuits themselves were constantly at the station.

To ensure body mobility, the spacesuit used hinges located in the area of ​​the main joints - shoulder, elbow, knee, ankle, fingers, etc. In addition, in subsequent modifications, sealed bearings were used in a number of joints to increase mobility (for example , in the shoulder or wrist joints).

From the first use of Orlan on Salyut 6 in 1977 until the sinking of Mir in 2001, 25 sets of Orlans of all varieties were used in low-Earth orbit. Some of them burned down along with the last Mir station. During this time, 42 crews made 200 exits in the Orlans. The total operating time exceeded 800 hours.

Orlan has many modifications. The most interesting in my opinion is the Orlan-DMA with an installation for moving and maneuvering in outer space.

NPP Zvezda does not announce the cost of Orlan. However, in one report I once heard a figure of a million dollars. I could be wrong.

Analogue

American astronauts honestly and openly admit that their current spacesuits are much worse and more uncomfortable than ours. They cost 12-15 million. So there is no full-fledged analogue to the current “Orlans”.

Swift

During the creation of Buran, the newest rescue suit "Strizh" was created

I'm not entirely sure it's him in the photo, but it looks like him. The K-36RB ejection seat was developed as part of the Swift kit. Experts called the Swift the best spacesuit ever existing. However, with the cessation of work on Buran... in general, as usual in our country.

"Sputnik-1", or PS-1 ("The simplest satellite - 1"), is the first artificial Earth satellite launched on an R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile into orbit on October 4, 1957 from the 5th research site of the USSR Ministry of Defense Tyura-Tam (Baikonur Cosmodrome).

The launch of Sputnik caused panic in the United States, the consequences of which we are still feeling. The main source of fear, however, was not this aluminum ball, but the huge carrier on which it flew into space - the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile. This 183-ton weapon gave the USSR the opportunity to destroy any city on Earth in a few minutes - in those years no one else had such missiles. For those who don’t understand, Nikita Khrushchev even specifically explained:

All we need is to change the warhead...

The body of the satellite consisted of two hemispheres with a diameter of 58 cm made of aluminum alloy; four folding antennas, 2.4 m and 2.9 m long, were attached to the upper hemisphere. Inside the “ball” were placed: a battery pack weighing about 50 kg, a radio transmitter, and a fan and a thermal control system, temperature and pressure sensors.

2. Belka and Strelka

At the initial stage of space exploration, dogs were launched into orbit and into the stratosphere of the Earth 34 times - as a rule, they flew in pairs. Approximately every third launch was unsuccessful - over 20 dogs died, although among the four-legged astronauts there were real record-breaking heroes - for example, a mongrel named Brave flew on the rocket five times.

But none of the space dogs gained such fame as Belka and Strelka, who made a space flight on the Sputnik 5 spacecraft on August 19, 1960. This was the last “dog” launch before Gagarin’s launch, so for the first time during the entire 27-hour flight there was a television broadcast from space of what was happening in the cockpit.

There is a legend that scientists picked up Belka and Strelka on the street. In fact, this is not true: all the dogs used for space experiments were raised in a special nursery, and they were prepared for flight from birth, training them not to be afraid of scientists and various instruments.

By the way, only girls were launched into orbit - it was easier to adapt a sewage disposal device to them (girls do not raise their hind paws). But boys were also launched on geophysical rockets - the flights there were short, no more than five minutes.

After returning to Earth, Strelka gave birth to three girls and three boys, they were shown on television. One of the puppies, named Fluff, was even given to the wife of US President Jacqueline Kennedy.

3. Gagarin's spacesuit

The SK-1 spacesuit ("Rescue Suit - 1") is the first spacesuit that was developed in the USSR for the flights of the first cosmonauts. It is interesting that the creators of the Vostok spacecraft, led by engineer Konstantin Feoktistov, proposed abandoning the spacesuit: every gram counted, and Feoktistov believed that the likelihood of depressurization of the cabin was zero. However, Korolev, after listening to all the arguments, ordered the creation of a spacesuit.

As a result, SK-1 was sewn from two layers: power lavsan and sealed rubber. Gagarin was also dressed in a heat-protective suit, and to prevent the cosmonaut from losing consciousness from overheating during launch and flight, the spacesuit was constantly blown through a hose with air from the cabin. Gagarin spent the entire flight with the glass visor of his helmet open: it was assumed that the helmet would need to be closed only when the cabin was depressurized.

But the designers in the first spacesuit did not bother with sewage disposal devices. And on the way to the launch site of the Baikonur Cosmodrome, the astronaut asked to stop at a railway crossing to relieve himself. To do this, Gagarin simply unfastened his spacesuit - this later became a Baikonur tradition.

And today, a bus with astronauts stops for a minute or two at a railway crossing, although today’s cosmonauts no longer need to unfasten their spacesuits (and in general, before a flight, cosmonauts do not drink for more than 12 hours to avoid such situations).

But the orange cover, which everyone remembered, actually had nothing to do with the spacesuit - this jumpsuit was sewn to facilitate search work, since the Vostok ships did not have a soft landing system and the cosmonaut, after ejecting from the cabin, landed independently in the steppe by parachute.

By the way, already at the start it was discovered that the spacesuit did not have any identifying marks, and so that after landing Yuri Gagarin would not be mistaken for a spy (then everyone remembered the incident with the American pilot Powers shot down in 1960), Zvezda engineers Four letters were painted in red paint on the helmet Gagarin was wearing: “USSR.”

4. Leonov’s spacesuit

SK-type spacesuits were purely rescue, that is, they were not intended for work in orbit outside the ship. In 1964, it was decided to launch the Voskhod-2 spacecraft with one of the two crew members going into outer space. For this project, a fundamentally new spacesuit was needed, capable of protecting the astronaut from the adverse conditions of outer space and having an autonomous life support system not connected to the ship.

The developers of the spacesuit named "Berkut" had to solve a lot of problems: on the one hand, high pressure had to be maintained in the spacesuit so that a person would not develop high-altitude decompression disorders, on the other hand, in a vacuum the spacesuit inflated like a soccer ball: the soles moved away from the feet , the gloves were slipping off my hands. As a result, they provided a system for releasing excess pressure - the air went straight into space. As subsequent events showed, the foresight of the designers was not at all superfluous. Upon returning to the airlock chamber, Leonov, apparently out of excitement, mistakenly began to move forward into it with his head. Having already entered the hatch, the cosmonaut realized his mistake: he needed to close the outer hatch behind him. As a result, Leonov threw all the air out of the suit and, holding his breath, was somehow miraculously able to turn over and close the hatch.

5. Station "Almaz"

Back in 1964, work began in the USSR to create a manned military space station "Almaz" (it was launched into orbit under the name "Salyut"). The Almaz system was unique for its time. The manned space complex included an orbital station weighing 17.8 tons, a transport supply ship and two reusable descent vehicles, each of which could take three cosmonauts (the full crew of the station consisted of six people, and the Almaz station could also conduct combat operations in fully autonomous mode without pilot participation). This complex, in addition to purely scientific tasks, could also perform very specific military functions - shoot down enemy satellites and even carry out bomb attacks on objects on the surface of the planet. The station also received a 23-mm automatic cannon, specially designed for firing in a vacuum - this weapon could be used to destroy American satellites and shuttles, which were created specifically for the abduction of Soviet military satellites from orbit.

In 1987, the automatic version of the Almaz OPS was successfully launched, which received the designation Kosmos-1870. The battle station with nuclear missiles on board was never launched into space due to the collapse of the USSR.

6. Mir station

"Mir" is a Soviet-Russian manned research orbital station that operated in near-Earth space from February 20, 1986 to March 23, 2001. The station was created in record time: Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Grigory Romanov, who oversaw the space industry in the USSR, demanded that a new generation station be launched into orbit by the 27th Party Congress. And exactly five days before the start of the congress, the base unit, the first component of the Mir space station, was launched into orbit.

The first cosmonauts to go to the Mir station were Leonid Kizim and Vladimir Solovyov, who carried out a unique interorbital flight from the Mir station to the Salyut-7 station and back.

The Mir station was designed for five years of operation, but served for as many as 15. During its operation, the station survived a fire and a collision with the Progress spacecraft. By 2001, radio communications on board failed, and coolants periodically failed. It was decided to stop the work of the Mir and scuttle it in the ocean.

I flew into space five times - and all five times on Mir,” recalled Soviet and Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Solovyov. - Arriving at the station, I caught myself thinking that my hands themselves were performing their usual actions. This is a subconscious memory of the body, “The World” has become ingrained in the subcortex and it is impossible to forget it, just as it is impossible to forget the first woman.

7. "Lunokhod-1"

Vehicle 8EL No. 203 is the world's first planetary rover, which successfully operated on the surface of the Moon from November 17, 1970 to September 14, 1971.

The Lunokhod, resembling a large saucepan on wheels with many intricate antennas, embodied all the latest achievements of the then science and technology. For example, the device was powered by both a solar battery and a radioisotope element, which heated the equipment in the dark, when the temperature dropped to minus 170 degrees.

There were two television cameras in front of the “pan”: the lunar machine had to be controlled from the Earth. Each crew consisted of five people: commander, driver, flight engineer, navigator and highly directional antenna operator. Moreover, the radio signal between the Earth and the Moon lasted one and a half seconds, and the television signal lasted from three to 20 seconds. Therefore, the movement was carried out with great caution, and the crews replaced each other every two hours.

Lunokhod-1, designed for three months of operation, worked on the Moon for 301 days.

8. Soyuz ship

The Soyuz rocket and spacecraft began to be designed in 1962 at OKB-1 as a ship of the Soviet program to fly around the Moon. Then the Soviet “lunar program” was curtailed, and the three-seat Soyuz became the main workhorse of first Soviet and then Russian space.

To date, it has already gone through several modernizations - now the Soyuz TMA-M ships are flying into orbit, that is, “transport modernized anthropometric - modernized”. And this is still the most reliable spaceship in the world - it has an excellent emergency rescue system, an “indestructible” life support system and very good aerodynamic parameters, due to which the astronauts experience very moderate overloads (it was the Soyuz that gave elderly American millionaires the opportunity to fly into space) . Of course, in recent years there has been talk about the creation of a new Federation ship, but the astronauts themselves doubt: the best is always the enemy of the good.

9. Food

For the first time, tin tubes were invented for artists - so that painters did not have to independently prepare paints from crushed ocher each time. Then they began to put toothpaste into tubes, and when scientists needed to feed astronauts sent into the sky, they simply couldn’t find better packaging than a tube.

At first, only puree was filled into the tubes, then new tubes with enlarged necks allowed the astronauts to eat meat, chopped vegetables and fruits.

Since 1982, in addition to the usual space tubes, freeze-dried foods began to be sent into orbit in foil bags, into which hot water had to be poured so that the dishes acquired their usual appearance.

Today, tubes, which have become a symbol of cosmic nutrition, are used less and less. Food is mainly packaged in tin cans (it is heated by placing it in special cells of an electric heater on the work table) or in bags made of polymer materials.

By the way, the only cosmonaut who refused to eat Russian “space food” was the fifth space tourist, Microsoft top manager Charles Simony, who took with him into orbit a supply of delicacies from Michelin-starred restaurants.

10. Space gun

Firearms have been part of the cosmonaut's equipment since the time of Yuri Gagarin, who was thrust into the pocket of his spacesuit with an ordinary Makarov pistol. Of course, no one imagined that Yuri Gagarin would fight aliens in orbit - Gagarin needed the weapon in case of emergency situations after landing.

In 1982, specialists from the Tula Arms Plant developed a fundamentally new type of weapon for cosmonauts - the TP-82 three-barreled pistol. Two smooth barrels were intended for firing shot and signal cartridges, and a rifled barrel was intended for firing bullets with a steel core. The pistol had an attached butt - a machete in a case, and the shape of the machete allowed it to be used as a knife, an ax, and a shovel.

In 1987, production of the pistol and its ammunition was discontinued, but for another 30 years, astronauts flew into space with the TP-82. In 2007, the guaranteed storage period for ammunition expired and the crew of the next ship was again issued PM.

True, the exhibit in the museum has nothing to do with the astronauts’ weapons. The item lying under the glass is a craft made from a piece of a RECK Double Eagle gas pistol, to which were attached a wooden “fore-end” impregnated with stain, and three black-painted tubes imitating the barrels of a “space pistol”. Apparently, the Museum of Cosmonautics did not have the original TP-82, and local craftsmen got out of the situation as best they could.

The design of the first high-altitude spacesuits, which create an environment around a person with excess pressure relative to the surrounding atmosphere, began back in the 1930s. Then they were invented for human flights in stratospheric balloons (high-altitude balloons). Now there are only three “ateliers” where spacesuits are made. They are located in Russia, the USA and China.

RUSSIAN SPACE SUIT

The Orlan-MK spacesuit is produced by JSC NPP Zvezda named after Academician G.I. Severin" (Moscow region). This is the fifth modification of domestic spacesuits; it is equipped with a built-in computerized system. Used on the ISS.
1. The helmet has a gold-plated light filter for protection from sunlight. A “Valsalva” is built inside the helmet - a device for blowing out the ears when pressure changes in the spacesuit (it looks like a small pillow with two tubercles, which, if pressed against them, pinch the nose).
2. The sleeves and legs are removable and can be adjusted in length. Inside the outer part of the suit is a cuirass (hard metal body).
3. Gloves are made to individual measurements and have thermal insulating linings to prevent your hands from freezing.
4. Electrofal - a wire through which electricity enters the spacesuit when the astronaut is still on board.
5. Electronic control unit. The inscriptions on the block are applied in mirror image so that the astronaut can read them using mirrors 6 worn on the sleeves.
7. Button to enter the control unit menu and turn off the alarm.
8. Life support system backpack. Contains the main and reserve oxygen supply systems and a communications unit.
9. LEDs. They notify the astronaut in emergency situations (in case of a leak, problems with ventilation, oxygen, etc.).
10. Fastening the cable that closes the spacesuit hatch on the back. Through this hatch the astronaut enters the spacesuit.
Weight - 114 kg, a constant pressure of 0.4 atmospheres is maintained inside the suit.
The operating time of the life support system of the spacesuit in one cycle (from putting on to taking off) is 10 hours (of which 7 hours are allocated to work in outer space, the rest of the time is spent in the compartment before going into space and after returning).
The outer shell of the spacesuit is made of phenylon fabric, capable of withstanding significant static and dynamic loads and multilayer screen-vacuum thermal protection consisting of aluminum foil and mineral fibers.

US SUIT

The EMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) spacewalk suit is manufactured by ILC Dover, with life support systems supplied by Hamilton Standard. The first version of the EMU was used from 1979 to 2002, and a modernized version is currently in operation. The cost of one spacesuit is $12 million.
1. The helmet has a gold-plated light filter for protection from sunlight. The helmet is connected by a tube to a 0.95 liter water container.
2. LEDs - necessary for working in shady areas.
3. Control and monitoring unit, including temperature, oxygen supply and communication regulators. The inscriptions on the block are applied in a mirror image so that the astronaut can read them using mirrors sewn into the sleeves.
4. Life support system backpack containing the main and reserve oxygen supply systems and a communications unit.
5. Oxygen supply system. Along with the main one, there is an emergency one, the supply of which is enough for 30 minutes.
6. Heated gloves. Allows you to maintain sensitivity of your fingers due to rubberized elements.
7. Video camera.
8. Safety carabiner.
Weight - 178 kg, a constant pressure of 0.3 atmospheres is maintained inside the suit.
Operating time in open space is up to 7 hours.
The suit consists of 14 layers (including nylon, neoprene, synthetic polyester fiber and thermoplastic) and is able to withstand temperature changes from -184 to +149 degrees Celsius.

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 space suit 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 ventilation of the spacesuit. 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?

The spacesuit is a miracle of technology, a miniature space station...
It seems to you that the spacesuit is full, like a lady’s handbag, but in fact everything is done so compactly that it’s simply beautiful...
In general, my spacesuit looked like a first-class car, and my helmet looked like a Swiss watch.
Robert Heinlein “I have a spacesuit - I’m ready to travel”
Sorry for the long post and multiple letters, but I just couldn’t cut it down!

1. Precursors of the spacesuit. Diving suits of Jean-Baptiste de La Chapelle.

The name "diving suit" comes from a French word coined in 1775 by the mathematician abbot Jean-Baptiste de La Chapelle. Naturally, there was no talk about space flights at the end of the 18th century - the scientist suggested calling diving equipment that way. The word itself, which can be translated from Greek roughly as “boat-man,” unexpectedly entered the Russian language with the advent of the space age. It is noteworthy that in English the spacesuit remained a “space suit”.

2. Willy Post's high-altitude spacesuit, 1934

The higher a person climbed, the more urgent was the need for a suit that would help him take another step towards the sky. If at an altitude of six to seven kilometers an oxygen mask and warm clothes are enough, then after the ten-kilometer mark the pressure drops so much that the lungs stop absorbing oxygen. To survive in such conditions, you need a sealed cabin and a compensating suit, which, when depressurized, compresses the human body, temporarily replacing external pressure.
However, if you rise even higher, this painful procedure will not help either: the pilot will die from oxygen starvation and decompression disorders. The only solution is to make a completely sealed spacesuit in which the internal pressure is maintained at a sufficient level (usually at least 40% of atmospheric pressure, which corresponds to an altitude of seven kilometers). But even here there are enough problems: an inflated spacesuit makes movement difficult, and it is almost impossible to perform precise manipulations in it.

3. The first high-altitude spacesuits of the USSR: Ch-3 (1936) and SK-TsAGI-5 (1940)

The English physiologist John Holden published a series of articles in the 1920s in which he proposed the use of diving suits to protect balloonists. He even built a prototype of such a spacesuit for the American aeronaut Mark Ridge. The latter tested the suit in a pressure chamber at a pressure corresponding to an altitude of 25.6 kilometers. However, balloons for flight in the stratosphere have always been expensive, and Ridge was unable to raise the funds to set a world record with Holden's suit.
In the Soviet Union, Evgeniy Chertovsky, an engineer at the Institute of Aviation Medicine, worked on spacesuits for high-altitude flights. Between 1931 and 1940 he developed seven models of pressurized suits. All of them were far from perfect, but Chertovsky was the first in the world to solve the problem associated with mobility. After the suit was inflated, the pilot needed a lot of effort just to bend the limb, so in the Ch-2 model the engineer used hinges. The Ch-3 model, created in 1936, contained almost all the elements that are found in a modern space suit, including absorbent linen. The Ch-3 was tested on the TB-3 heavy bomber on May 19, 1937.

4. Astronauts on the Moon in the film “Space Flight”. The spacesuits are fake, but quite similar to the real thing.

In 1936, the science fiction film “Space Flight” was released, in the creation of which Konstantin Tsiolkovsky participated. The movie about the upcoming conquest of the Moon so captivated the young engineers of the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) that they began to actively work on prototypes of space suits. The first sample, designated SK-TsAGI-1, was designed, manufactured and tested surprisingly quickly - in just one year, 1937.
The suit really gave the impression of something extraterrestrial: the upper and lower parts were connected using a belt connector; shoulder joints appeared to facilitate mobility; the shell consisted of two layers of rubberized fabric. The second model was equipped with an autonomous regeneration system designed for six hours of continuous operation. In 1940, based on the experience gained, TsAGI engineers created the last pre-war Soviet spacesuit SK-TsAGI-8. It was tested on the I-153 Chaika fighter.

5. Spacesuits for dogs (Belka in the photo) were made simpler: the animals did not need to do difficult work.

After the war, the initiative passed to the Flight Research Institute (LII). Its specialists were tasked with creating suits for aviation pilots, which quickly conquered new heights and speeds. Serial production was not possible for one institute, and in October 1952, engineer Alexander Boyko created a special workshop at plant No. 918 in Tomilino, near Moscow. Nowadays this enterprise is known as NPP Zvezda. It was there that the spacesuit for Yuri Gagarin was created.

6. The suit, designated SK-1, was based on the Vorkuta high-altitude suit, which was intended for pilots of the Su-9 interceptor fighter. Only the helmet had to be completely redone

For example, it had a special mechanism installed, controlled by a pressure sensor: if it dropped sharply, the mechanism instantly slammed the transparent visor
When Soviet design engineers began designing the first Vostok spacecraft in the late 1950s, they initially planned for a man to fly into space without a spacesuit. The pilot would be placed in a sealed container that would be fired from the lander before landing. However, such a scheme turned out to be cumbersome and required lengthy testing, so in August 1960, Sergei Korolev’s bureau redesigned the internal layout of the Vostok, replacing the container with an ejection seat. Accordingly, to protect the future astronaut in the event of depressurization, it was necessary to quickly create a suitable suit. There was no time left for docking the spacesuit with the on-board systems, so they decided to make a life support system placed directly in the seat.

7. Valentina Tereshkova in the “ladies’” spacesuit SK-2. The first Soviet spacesuits were bright orange to make it easier to find the landing pilot. But space suits for outer space are better suited to white reflecting all rays

Each spacesuit was made to individual measurements. For the first space flight, it was not possible to “sheath” the entire team of cosmonauts, which at that time consisted of twenty people. Therefore, they first identified six who showed the best level of training, and then the three “leaders”: Yuri Gagarin, German Titov and Grigory Nelyubov. Spacesuits were made for them first.
One of the SK-1 spacesuits was in orbit before the cosmonauts. During the unmanned test launches of the Vostok spacecraft, carried out on March 9 and 25, 1961, a humanoid mannequin in a spacesuit, nicknamed “Ivan Ivanovich,” was on board along with the experimental mongrels. A cage containing mice and guinea pigs was installed in his chest. A sign with the inscription “Layout” was placed under the transparent visor of the helmet, so that casual witnesses of the landing would not mistake it for an alien invasion.
The SK-1 spacesuit was used in five manned flights of the Vostok spacecraft. Only for the flight of Vostok-6, in the cabin of which Valentina Tereshkova was, was the SK-2 spacesuit created, taking into account the peculiarities of female anatomy.

8. Mercury program astronauts in Navy Mark IV spacesuits

The American designers of the Mercury program followed the path of their competitors. However, there were also differences that should have been taken into account: the small capsule of their ship did not allow it to remain in orbit for a long time, and in the first launches it had to only reach the edge of outer space. The Navy Mark IV space suit was created by Russell Colley for naval aviation pilots, and it differed favorably from other models in its flexibility and relatively low weight. To adapt the suit to the spacecraft, several changes had to be made - primarily to the helmet design. Each astronaut had three individual spacesuits: for training, for flight and reserve.
The Mercury program spacesuit demonstrated its reliability. Only once, when the Mercury 4 capsule began to sink after splashdown, the suit almost killed Virgil Grissom - the astronaut barely managed to disconnect from the ship’s life support system and get out.

9. Astronaut Edward White outside the ship.

The first spacesuits were rescue suits; they were connected to the ship’s life support system and did not allow spacewalks. Experts understood that if space expansion continued, then one of the mandatory stages would be the creation of an autonomous spacesuit in which it would be possible to work in outer space.
At first, for their new manned program “Gemini,” the Americans wanted to modify the “Mercurian” Mark IV spacesuit, but by that time the G3C high-altitude sealed suit, created for the X-15 rocket plane project, was completely ready, and they took it as a basis. In total, three modifications were used during the Gemini flights - G3C, G4C and G5C, and only G4C spacesuits were suitable for spacewalks. All spacesuits were connected to the ship's life support system, but in case of problems, an autonomous ELSS device was provided, the resources of which were enough to support the astronaut for half an hour. However, the astronauts did not have to use it.
It was in the G4C spacesuit that Edward White, the pilot of Gemini 4, made a spacewalk. This happened on June 3, 1965. But by that time he was not the first - two and a half months before White, Alexey Leonov went on a free flight next to the Voskhod-2 ship.

10. The crew of Voskhod-2, Pavel Belyaev and Alexey Leonov, in Berkut spacesuits

The Voskhod ships were created to achieve space records. In particular, on Voskhod-1, a crew of three cosmonauts flew into space for the first time - for this, the ejection seat was removed from the spherical descent vehicle, and the cosmonauts themselves went on a flight without spacesuits. The Voskhod-2 spacecraft was being prepared for one of the crew members to go into outer space, and it was impossible to do without a pressurized suit.
The Berkut spacesuit was developed specifically for the historic flight. Unlike the SK-1, the new suit had a second sealed shell, a helmet with a light filter and a backpack with oxygen cylinders, the supply of which was enough for 45 minutes. In addition, the astronaut was connected to the ship by a seven-meter halyard, which included a shock-absorbing device, a steel cable, an emergency oxygen supply hose and electrical wires.

11. Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov was the first in the world to go into outer space.

The Voskhod-2 spacecraft launched on March 18, 1965, and at the beginning of the second orbit, Alexey Leonov left the board. Immediately, the crew commander Pavel Belyaev solemnly announced to the whole world: “Attention! Man has entered outer space! The image of an astronaut soaring against the background of the Earth was broadcast on all television channels. Leonov was in the void for 23 minutes 41 seconds.

12. G4C spacesuit with wearable ELSS device

Although the Americans lost the lead, they quickly and noticeably overtook their Soviet competitors in the number of spacewalks. Off-ship operations were carried out during flights Gemini 4, -9, -10, -11, 12. The next Soviet exit did not take place until January 1969. That same year, Americans landed on the moon.
P.S.
The moon landing is still being debated. There are a lot of arguments proving and disproving this event. The truth, as usual, is probably somewhere in the middle...

13. Records in a vacuum

Today, spacewalks will not surprise anyone: at the end of August 2013, 362 spacewalks were recorded with a total duration of 1981 hours and 51 minutes (82.5 days, almost three months). And yet there are some records here.
The absolute record holder for the number of hours spent in outer space has been Russian cosmonaut Anatoly Solovyov for many years - he made 16 spacewalks with a total duration of 78 hours 46 minutes. In second place is American Michael Lopez-Alegria; he made 10 exits with a total duration of 67 hours and 40 minutes.
The longest was the exit of Americans James Voss and Susan Helms on March 11, 2001, which lasted 8 hours and 56 minutes.

The maximum number of exits in one flight is seven; this record belongs to Russian Sergei Krikalev.

Apollo 17 astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent the longest time on the lunar surface: over three missions in December 1972, they spent 22 hours and 4 minutes there.

If we compare countries, not astronauts, the United States is undoubtedly the leader here: 224 exits, 1365 hours 53 minutes outside the spacecraft.

14. Spacesuits for the Moon.

On the Moon, completely different spacesuits were required than in Earth orbit. The suit was supposed to be completely autonomous and allow a person to work outside the ship for several hours. It was supposed to provide protection from micrometeorites and, most importantly, from overheating in direct sunlight, since the landings were planned on lunar days. In addition, NASA built a special inclined stand to find out how reduced gravity affects the movement of astronauts. It turned out that the nature of walking changes dramatically.
The suit for the flight to the Moon was improved throughout the Apollo program. The first version of the A5L did not satisfy the customer, and soon the A6L spacesuit appeared, to which a thermal insulation shell was added. After the fire on January 27, 1967 on Apollo 1, which led to the death of three astronauts (including the above-mentioned Edward White and Virgil Grissom), the suit was modified to the fire-resistant version A7L.
By design, the A7L was a one-piece, multi-layer suit covering the torso and limbs, with flexible joints made of rubber. Metal rings on the collar and sleeve cuffs were intended for the installation of sealed gloves and an “aquarium helmet”. All spacesuits had a vertical “zipper” that ran from the neck to the groin. The A7L provided four hours of work for astronauts on the Moon. Just in case, there was also a backup life support unit in the backpack, designed to last for half an hour. It was in the A7L spacesuits that astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin stepped on the Moon on July 21, 1969.+

The last three flights of the lunar program used A7LB spacesuits. They were distinguished by two new joints on the neck and belt - such a modification was needed in order to make it easier to drive the lunar car. Later, this version of the spacesuit was used at the American orbital station Skylab and during the international Soyuz-Apollo flight.

15. Soviet lunar spacesuit “Krechet”.

Soviet cosmonauts were also going to the Moon. And a “Krechet” spacesuit was prepared for them. Since, according to the plan, only one crew member was supposed to land on the surface, a semi-rigid version was chosen for the spacesuit - with a door on the back. The astronaut did not have to put on a suit, as in the American version, but literally fit into it. A special cable system and a side lever made it possible to close the lid behind you. The entire life support system was located in a hinged door and did not work outside, like the Americans, but in a normal internal atmosphere, which simplified the design. Although Krechet never visited the Moon, its developments were used to create other models.

16. Chinese emergency rescue suits are in every way similar to the Russian Sokol-KV2 spacesuits

In 1967, flights of the new Soviet Soyuz spacecraft began. They were to become the main means of transport in the creation of long-term orbital stations, so the potential time that a person had to spend outside the ship inevitably increased.
The "Yastreb" spacesuit was basically similar to the "Berkut" one, which was used on the Voskhod-2 spacecraft. The differences were in the life support system: now the respiratory mixture circulated inside the suit in a closed circuit, where it was cleared of carbon dioxide and harmful impurities, fed with oxygen and cooled. In Hawks, cosmonauts Alexei Eliseev and Yevgeny Khrunov moved from ship to ship during the flights of Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5 in January 1969.
The cosmonauts flew to orbital stations without rescue suits - due to this, it was possible to increase the supplies on board the ship. But one day space did not forgive such freedom: in June 1971, Georgy Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov and Viktor Patsayev died due to depressurization. The designers had to urgently create a new rescue suit, Sokol-K. The first flight in these spacesuits was carried out in September 1973 on Soyuz-12. Since then, when cosmonauts go on flights on domestic Soyuz spacecraft, they always use variants of the Falcon.
It is noteworthy that the Sokol-KV2 spacesuits were purchased by Chinese sales representatives, after which China got its own space suit, called, like the manned spacecraft, “Shenzhou” and very similar to the Russian model. The first taikonaut Yang Liwei went into orbit in such a spacesuit.

17. Orlan-MK spacesuits are an astronaut’s best friends!

The spacesuits from the “Falcon” series were not suitable for going into outer space, therefore, when the Soviet Union began to launch orbital stations that made it possible to construct various modules, an appropriate protective suit was also needed. It became “Orlan” - an autonomous semi-rigid spacesuit created on the basis of the lunar “Krechet”. You also had to get into the Orlan through a door in the back. In addition, the creators of these spacesuits managed to make them universal: now the legs and sleeves were adjusted to the height of the astronaut.
Orlan-D was first tested in outer space in December 1977 at the Salyut-6 orbital station. Since then, these spacesuits in various modifications have been used on Salyut, the Mir complex and the International Space Station (ISS). Thanks to the spacesuit, cosmonauts can maintain contact with each other, with the station itself and with the Earth. The first dangerous incident occurred with Alexei Leonov in March 1965. Having completed the program, the astronaut was unable to return to the ship due to the fact that his spacesuit was inflated. Having made several attempts to enter the airlock feet first, Leonov decided to turn around. At the same time, he reduced the level of excess pressure in the suit to critical, which allowed him to squeeze into the airlock.
An incident involving damage to the suit occurred during the flight of the space shuttle Atlantis in April 1991 (mission STS-37). A small rod pierced the glove of astronaut Jerry Ross. By a lucky chance, depressurization did not occur - the rod got stuck and “sealed” the resulting hole. The puncture was not even noticed until the astronauts returned to the ship and began checking their spacesuits.
Another potentially dangerous incident occurred on July 10, 2006, during the second spacewalk of the Discovery astronauts (flight STS-121). A special winch was detached from Pierce Sellers' spacesuit, which prevented the astronaut from flying into space. Having noticed the problem in time, Sellers and his partner were able to attach the device back, and the work was completed successfully.

20. NASA space suits: A7LB lunar suit, EMU shuttle suit and I-Suit experimental suit.

The Americans have developed several spacesuits for the Space Shuttle reusable spacecraft program. When testing a new rocket and space system, astronauts wore SEES, a rescue suit borrowed from military aviation. In subsequent flights it was replaced by the LES variant, and then by the more advanced ACES modification.
The EMU spacesuit was created for spacewalks. It consists of a hard upper part and soft pants. Like Orlan, EMUs can be used multiple times by different astronauts. You can safely work in space for seven hours, with a backup life support system providing another half hour. The condition of the suit is monitored by a special microprocessor system, which warns the astronaut if something goes wrong. The first EMU went into orbit in April 1983 on the Challenger spacecraft. Today, spacesuits of this type are actively used on the ISS along with the Russian Orlans.

21. Project Z-1 - “Buzz Lightyear’s spacesuit.”

Americans believe that EMU is obsolete. NASA's promising space program includes flights to asteroids, a return to the Moon and an expedition to Mars. Therefore, a spacesuit is needed that would combine the positive qualities of rescue and work suits. Most likely, it will have a hatch behind its back, allowing the suit to be docked to a station or habitable module on the surface of the planet. It takes a matter of minutes to get such a suit into working order (including sealing).+

The Z-1 spacesuit prototype is already being tested. For a certain external resemblance to the costume of the famous cartoon character, it was nicknamed “Buzz Lightyear’s space suit.”

22. Promising Bio-Suit spacesuit (prototype). Conquer Mars while staying stylish!

Experts have not yet decided what suit a person will wear for the first time to set foot on the surface of the Red Planet. Although Mars has an atmosphere, it is so thin that it easily transmits solar radiation, so the person inside the spacesuit must be well protected. NASA experts are considering a wide range of possible options: from a heavy, rigid Mark III spacesuit to a lightweight, tight-fitting Bio-Suit.

Technologies for manufacturing spacesuits will develop. Costumes for space will become smarter, more elegant, more sophisticated. Perhaps someday there will be a universal shell that can protect a person in any environment. But even today, spacesuits are a unique product of technology that, without exaggeration, can be called fantastic.