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Next Generation Spacesuit like Second Skin
Scientists from MIT have designed a next-generation spacesuit that acts practically as a second skin, and could revolutionize the way future astronauts travel into space. (Photo : Jose-Luis Olivares/MIT)
Astronauts are used to climbing into conventional bulky, gas-pressurized spacesuits, but this new design could allow them to travel in style. Soon they may don a lightweight, skintight and stretchy garment lined with tiny, muscle-like coils. Essentially the new suit acts like a giant piece of shrink-wrap, in which the coils contract and tighten when plugged into a power supply, thereby creating a “second skin.”
"With conventional spacesuits, you’re essentially in a balloon of gas that’s providing you with the necessary one-third of an atmosphere [of pressure,] to keep you alive in the vacuum of space," lead researcher Dava Newman, a professor of aeronautics and astronautics and engineering systems at MIT, said in astatement.
"We want to achieve that same pressurization, but through mechanical counterpressure - applying the pressure directly to the skin, thus avoiding the gas pressure altogether. We combine passive elastics with active materials. … Ultimately, the big advantage is mobility, and a very lightweight suit for planetary exploration."
Newman, who has worked for the past decade on a design for the next-generation spacesuit, describes the new garment in detail in the journal IEEE/ASME: Transactions on Mechatronics.
The MIT BioSuit’s coils, which are a main feature of the outfit, are made from a shape-memory alloy (SMA). At a certain temperature, the material can “remember” and spring back to its engineered shape after being bent or misshapen.
Skintight suits are not a novel idea, but in the past scientists have always struggled with the question: how do you get in and out of a suit that is so tight? That’s where the SMAs come in, allowing the suit to contract only when heated, and subsequently stretched back to a looser shape when cooled.
Though the lightweight suit may not seem at first like it can withstand the harsh environment that is outer space, Newman and his colleagues are sure that the BioSuit would not only give astronauts much more freedom during planetary exploration, but it would also fully support these space explorers.
Newman and his team are not only working on how to keep the suit tight for long periods of time, but also believe their design could be applied to other attires, such as athletic wear or military uniforms.
"An integrated suit is exciting to think about to enhance human performance," Newman added. "We’re trying to keep our astronauts alive, safe, and mobile, but these designs are not just for use in space."
Scuse you, Dava Newman is a FEMALE professor at MIT.
(fyi, I passed out in a vacuum chamber wearing an earlier version of this suit. =D)
The Possibility of Intelligent Life
The Drake Equation is a famous attempt to mathematically estimate the number of technologically advanced civilisations in our galaxy. The equation was formulated in 1961 by Dr. Frank Drake (currently on the Board of SETI), and it identifies specific developmental factors and presents them as variables that narrow down the estimate. The equation looks like this:
N = R* • fp • ne • fl • fi • fc • L
R is the average rate of star formation per year in our galaxy, fp is the fraction of stars with planets, ne is the number of Earth-like worlds within one of these star systems, fl is the fraction of those planets where life develops, fi is the fraction where intelligent life develops, fc is the fraction of intelligent life that develops a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space—and finally, L is length of time that these signals are sent. Currently, Drake’s own estimate is that there are 10,000 technologically-advanced civilizations in the Milky Way. Of course, we don’t have definite figures for most of these variables so an accurate answer is nearly impossible, but the calculating itself stimulates intellectual curiosity, helping us realise what a successful product of cosmic evolution we are.
Why isn’t anybody on my dash, like, super pumped about the Orion launch this morning? This ship is built to go farther than any manned ship ever built before. This is the ship that takes humans to deep space. This is the ship that takes humans to Mars. It had its test launch this morning and its kind of a big deal because this is the ship that’s gonna bring in a new era of space travel. Welcome to the Mars age.
Satellite Meets Comet In Historic Rendezvous
This is a comet named 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. A satellite called Rosetta rendezvoused with it today, Aug. 6, after traveling 4 billion miles for more than 10 years.
The European Space Agency craft now sits 62 miles from the icy 2.5-mile-long comet (see a visualization of the mission here) about midway between Mars and Jupiter. The two will travel together on the comet’s orbit as it approaches the sun.
Rosetta, which also includes a number of NASA instruments, will for the first time in history study a comet up close, put a lander on the surface and monitor changes as it approaches the sun. Among other science to be done, the craft’s Philae lander will drill almost 8 inches into 67P, another first.
The last Saturn V rocket launches the Skylab space station, 14 May, 1973, while the rocket that will launch its first crew, Skylab 2, is in the foreground.
Astronauts just found life in space, we kid you not
Russian cosmonauts have discovered something remarkable clinging to the outside of the International Space Station: living organisms.
“Results of the experiment are absolutely unique" | Follow micdotcom
Nothing is illegal in space
Seriously my favorite picture of all time
rule no. 1: always reblog
yes light a blunt in space because an open flame in a 100% oxygen environment is a totally great idea and nothing could ever go wrong
Pretty sure they aren’t 100% oxygen anymore singe Apollo 1.
I’m pretty sure it has to be because if it was 20% oxygen and 80% nitrogen like it is on Earth they wouldn’t be able to breathe because it’s not pressurized as much. At least thats how they do it with space suits. I’m not sure if they pressurize the shuttles enough for it to be the 20/80 comp.
From this STS-112 Q&A session:
Ted from Chapel Hill
What is the composition and pressure of the atmosphere inside the space station?
Well the pressure is just the same as here on the ground, 14.7 psi. And the composition is just the same as air. We have, inside the air revitalization systems, what they call a major constituent analyzer that looks at the composition of the air, and then we have the capability to adjust it to make sure it stays just as same as it is here on the ground. Nitrogen, oxygen and all the other stuff.
Okay yeah here’s a chart I found as well on the MIT site
Surround yourself in the Universe with modcloth's Spaced Out quilt and pillow shams, and Soft Side of the Moon pillow. They make a charming combination for a deep space sleep!
—Emily
