EVA Suit

During a manned mission to Mars, human comfort will play a big role in the mission’s success. The current bulky space suit in use weighs in at 300 pounds and is impractical for use in low gravity environments.

Researchers at MIT are working on a spandex and nylon BioSuit to be used in such a situation. The torso would be pressurized to about 30 kPa while the limbs would be sheathed in thinner material allowing for increased dexterity and decreased weight from the current model.

There will be different zones in a settlement with different security requirements for the suit:

Outdoor Suit

During outdoor work or excursions outside of buildings the astronauts or colonists need a very reliable suit with full life support. It must protect from the vacuum and radiation. Depending on the duration of the mission, it would contain an amount of compressed air for breathing. Telecommunication devices would be a necissary part of the design.

Indoor Suit for Airless Rooms

Most parts of a settlement will not offer any life support, not even air. However, the radiation will be significantly lower than outside, allowing lighter suits. For those rooms, a suit is necessary with protection from vacuum. Air tubes can provide air for breathing and make bottles with compressed air unnecessary.

Indoor Suit for Less Protected Rooms

Some rooms in a settlement may be filled with breathable air, but without highly secured walls, doors and windows. There would be danger for a drop in pressure at any time. Light space suits should be enough to provide enough vacuum protection for a couple minutes.

Indoor Suit for Well Protected Rooms

There is still some danger for a drop in pressure. Ultralight suits with the helmet off in regular usage would provide a comfortable protection.

External Link

• Article on MIT suit concept
• NASA Quest: Future Space Suits