Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit Cameron M Smith, PhD Dept. of Anthropology, Portland State University & Pacific Spaceflight Oregon Institute of Technology, May 2016 Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (1) Cost-to-orbit NASA $10,000 / lb Roscosmos $8,000 / lb ACES suit = 70lb Sokolsuit = 20lb = $700,000 to orbit = $160,000 to orbit Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (3) Cost-to-orbit SpaceX $4,000 / lb Pacific $4,000 / lb SpaceX suit = ?lb Spaceflight Mark VI suit = 10lb = $? to orbit = $40,000 to orbit Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (4) Suit Costs NASA $100,000 / unit for Roscosmos $50,000 / unit for Modified ACES suit Sokol suit (David Clark Company) (Roscosmos) Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (5) Suit Costs SpaceX ? Pacific $1,000 goal (internal development underway) Spaceflight Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (6) Total Costs: A Suit to Orbit Pacific NASA Roscosmos SpaceX Spaceflight suit + launch suit + launch suit + launch suit + launch = $800,000 = $210,000 = ? = c. $40,000 Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (7) These costs are still too high! But we must start somewhere. Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (8) Radically Reducing Suit Costs: *‘design by taxpayer’ * phobia of of failure * military-industrial-political Old Boy Networks UNEXAMINED CONTRACTS * ignorance of public * obfuscation and misinformation by space agencies ‘only we can do it’ * propagation of RSF by space agencies Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (9) The Right Stuff Fallacy Space access is for the chisel-chinned space hero, only NASA can do it. Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (10) DISMANTLING The Right Stuff Fallacy Many worldwide now dismantling this exclusive approach. e.g. Copenhagen Suborbitals Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (11) DISMANTLING The Right Stuff Fallacy Many worldwide now dismantling this exclusive approach. e.g. Bigelow Aerospace Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (12) DISMANTLING The Right Stuff Fallacy Many worldwide now dismantling this exclusive approach. e.g. Final Frontier Design Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (13) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment Learn from >50 years of archived NASA Technical Report Server Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (14) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment Learn from >50 years of archived NASA Mission Reports and Flight Plans Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (15) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment Learn from >50 years of archived NASA Mission Reports and Flight Plans Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (16) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment ‘Escafandra Estratonautica ’ A Spain Col Emilio Herrera 1935+ Simulated to c. FL800 (thus high suit pressure) B A. hard helmet B. bellows / convolutes for constant volume C. anti-elongation cabling D. 3 hours at FL800 indicated C no cold, rather heat was the issue B Learn from >50 years of pressure suit design & testing Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (17) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment Apollo AL7 suit PS Mark III Custom-built Sewage hose or convolute elbows reinforced butyl drybox sleeves performance same at high suit pressures New Materials / Building Supplies Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (18) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment Apollo AL7 suit Custom-built convolute elbows Learn from the Pros! M. Mosely, 44 years a Boeing Project Gemini space suit technician. “This all looks exactly right.” Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (19) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment Apollo AL7 suit Custom-built convolute elbows PS Mark III Testing in-house Get results to NASA Gemini levels. Set appropriate performance criteria. Sufficient for Launch-Entry suit. Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (20) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment Apollo AL7 suit Custom-built convolute elbows Parachute & 10 min 02 supply Eliminate, of course, costly & weighty extras. Set appropriate performance criteria. NASA employee: “Nobody ever expected that to work for the Shuttle.” Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (21) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment ApolloApollo AL7 suit Custom-built convolute elbows ISS Eliminate, of course, costly & weighty extras. Set appropriate performance criteria. PS Mark IV Extremely high-dexterity glove not required for Return-to-Earth scenarios. Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (22) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment Apollo AL7 suit Custom-built convolute elbows Reiterate & Rebuild Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (23) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment Apollo AL7 suit Metal helmet Assumed needed! Custom-built convolute elbows Clutter of Assumed Ports needed Redundant 02 Assumed System needed Heavy boots Assumed needed Mark I Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (24) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment Apollo AL7 suit Metal helmet Assumed needed! Custom-built convolute elbows Clutter of Reducing Through-ports Redundant 02 Gone System Elbow mobility Improved Mark II Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (25) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment Apollo AL7 suit Metal helmet Assumed needed! Custom-built convolute elbows Clutter of Reducing Through-ports Redundant 02 Gone System Elbow mobility Improved w/ slimmer convolutes Suit Pressure Gauge Gone Mark III Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (26) Radically Reducing Cost of the Launch-Entry Garment Apollo AL7 suit Metal helmet Gone! Custom-built convolute elbows Clutter of Two only Through-ports Redundant 02 Gone System Elbow mobility Improved w/ yet again slimmer convolutes Mark IV Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (27) Now: Apollo AL7 suit 1. Continue designing, building, testing. Custom-built convolute2. elbowsTest flights to high altitude = NASA method = CREDIBILITY. Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (28) Now: Apollo AL7 suit 3. Provide good technical test reports. Custom -built https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A_QN6OEXr8convolute elbows Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (29) Now: Apollo AL7 suit 4. Beat SPACEX! Custom -built convolute elbows Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (30) Now: Apollo AL7 suit 5. Put Plans Online & Open-Source Custom -built convolute elbows Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (31) Now: Apollo AL7 suit 6. Eliminate the Launch-Entry Suit! Custom -built convolute elbows “Sometimes the best aeroplane is no aeroplane.” Private Development of a Low-Cost, Lightweight, Launch-Reentry Pressure Suit (32) Thanks for your attention! Apollo AL7 suit Custom-built convolute elbows pacificspaceflight.com .