Final Frontier Design, which won second prize in NASA’s Astronaut Glove Challenge in 2009, has launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $20,000 to develop an affordable spacesuit for the space tourism market. To donate, click here. The Kickstarter description of the product: At FFD, we are working together to bring our vision of a lightweight, inexpensive, and highly functional space suit to the new space industry. Our Kickstarter goal, the […]
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“spacesuits”
Jeff Feige Orbital Outfitters Clients include XCOR, SpaceX and NASA Primarily produce spacesuits Lately been involved in developing vehicle mockups Spacsuits are not stand-alone off-the-rack but are integrated subsystem of the vehicle — need to be integrated with environmental and life support systems, seats, doors, etc. Many questions to consider in developing suits How much mobility? What are realistic emergency scenarios Would occupants have to bail out? What are you protecting […]
Dr. Alan Stern performed 20 runs aboard a NASTAR STS-400 High Performance Human Centrifuge, with some runs reaching the 6-G accelerations that many suborbital launches will create. (Credit: Southwest Research Institute)
Worcester, Massachusetts — Nov. 16, 2011 — Two researchers set to fly aboard suborbital spacecraft as a part of Southwest Research Institute’s next-generation suborbital research program completed another milestone on November 2nd when they evaluated David Clark Company’s latest version of aerospace crew protective equipment designed for the commercial spaceflight industry. The two research scientists conducted evaluations of the Contingency Hypobaric Astronaut Protective Suit (CHAPS) during an intensive series of centrifuge runs designed to simulate the anticipated launch and entry profiles that will be experienced aboard suborbital spacecraft.
Testing of the NDX-1 space suit at the Marambio Base, Antarctica. The NDX-1 space suit was developed at the Space Suit Laboratory, Department of Space Studies, University of North Dakota.
OCEANEERING PRESS RELEASE
Oceaneering International, Inc. (NYSE:OII) announced that ex-astronaut Michael J. (“Mikeâ€) Bloomfield has joined Oceaneering as its Vice President and General Manager of Oceaneering Space Systems.
Mr. Bloomfield is a veteran Astronaut of three Space Shuttle flights. Selected as a NASA Astronaut in 1994, Mike served as Pilot on STS-86 and STS-jj97 and as Commander of STS-110. While at NASA he also held important positions with the Astronaut Office including Chief of Safety and Chief Instructor Astronaut. Additionally, Mr. Bloomfield was Director of Shuttle Operations and Chief of the Shuttle Branch. He also served as Deputy Director of the Flight Crew Operations Directorate (FCOD) before leaving NASA in 2007 to join ATK as Vice President for Houston Operations. In his new role at Oceaneering, Mr. Bloomfield will lead Oceaneering’s Space System Division, where he has responsibility for all aspects of the business.
MIT Professor and spacesuit designer Dava Newman shows off her design for a flexible spacesuit. This is a series of videos for the PBS science show Nova. Another video after the break. (more…)
Travel to space in ISRO suits that cost crores of rupees
Express Buzz
That white, cocoon-like suit worn by Neil Armstrong as he bobbed up and down on the moon decades ago could prove one of the stiffest challenges for the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as it prepares for the human space flight mission.
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Paragon has received authorization to begin work on NASA’s Constellation Space Suit System (CSSS). Paragon is beginning this work on the first major space suit redesign in over 40 years as part of a team led by Oceaneering International.
During a Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership round table on Saturday, Oceaneering vice president Mark Gittleman said he is concerned about whether the Obama Administration is providing enough funding to allow his company to build NASA’s new spacesuit. Former NASA Administrator Mike Griffin shared the concern:
Griffin said Gittleman’s concerns are well placed in light of the proposed $3 billion-plus cut in the budget for the manned space program.
Canada’s CCTV has a video and slide show about Los Angeles-based Orbital Outfitters, the Rick Tumlinson company that is building spacesuits for millionauts.