Spacesuit of astronauts: appointment, device. First Spacer

Space suits are not just costumes for flying in orbit. The first of them appeared at the beginning of the twentieth century. It was a time when space flights lasted almost half a century. However, scientists understood that the development of extraterrestrial spaces, the conditions of which differ from those customary to us, is inevitable. That is why for future flights invented the cosmonaut's outfit, which is able to protect a person from a deadly environment for him.

The concept of a spacesuit

What is the equipment for flying into space? A spacesuit is a peculiar miracle of technology. It is a miniature space station that repeats the shape of a human body.

A modern space suit is equipped with a whole life support system for the astronaut. But, despite the complexity of the device, everything in it is compact and convenient.

History of creation

The word "space suit" has French roots. To introduce this concept proposed in 1775 by the abbot-mathematician Jean Baptiste de Pa Chapelle. Of course, at the end of the 18th century, nobody even dreamed of flying into space. The word "spacesuit", which in Greek means "boat-man", it was decided to apply to diving equipment.

With the advent of the space age, this concept began to be used in the Russian language. Only here it has acquired a slightly different meaning. The man began to climb higher and higher. In this regard, there was a need for special equipment. So, at an altitude of up to seven kilometers, it's warm clothes and an oxygen mask. Distances within the limits of ten thousand meters because of the pressure drop require the presence of an airtight cabin and a compensating suit. Otherwise, when depressurizing the pilot's lungs will stop absorbing oxygen. Well, if you go even higher? In this case, you need a space suit. It must be very tight. In this case, the internal pressure in the spacesuit (usually within 40 percent of the atmospheric) will save the life of the pilot.

In the 1920s, a number of articles by the English physiologist John Holden appeared. It was in them that the author suggested using divers suits to protect the health and life of aeronauts. The author even tried to put his ideas into practice. He built a similar space suit and tested it in a pressure chamber where a pressure corresponding to an altitude of 25.6 km was established. However, the construction of balloons capable of climbing the stratosphere is not a cheap pleasure. And the American balloonist Mark Ridge, for whom a unique suit was intended, unfortunately did not raise funds. That is why Holden's spacesuit was not tested in practice.

Developments of Soviet scientists

In our country, space suits were handled by engineer Evgeny Chertovsky, who was an employee of the Institute of Aviation Medicine. For nine years, from 1931 to 1940, he developed 7 models of hermetic equipment. The first Soviet engineer in the world solved the problem of mobility. The fact is that when climbing to a certain height, the spacesuit swelled. After this, the pilot was forced to make great efforts, even in order to simply bend the leg or arm. That's why the Ch-2 model was designed by an engineer with hinges.

In 1936 a new version of space equipment appeared. This model is Ch-3, which contains almost all the details present in modern spacesuits, which are used by Russian cosmonauts. The test of this variant of special equipment took place on 19.05.1937. As a flying vehicle, a heavy bomber TB-3 was used.

Since 1936 cosmonaut spacesuits began to be developed by young engineers of the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute. To this they were inspired by the premiere of the fantastic film "Space Flight", created together with Konstantin Tsiolkovsky.

The first space suit with the index SK-STAGI-1 young engineers designed, manufactured and tested during only 1937. Even the external impression of this equipment indicated its extraterrestrial purpose. In the first model, a belt connector was provided for connecting the lower and upper parts. Considerable mobility was provided by the shoulder hinges. The jacket of this suit was made of a two-layer rubberized fabric.

The next version of the suit was distinguished by the presence of an autonomous regenerative system, designed for 6 hours of continuous operation. In 1940, the last Soviet pre-war space suit, SK-STAGI-8, was created. The test of this equipment was carried out on the I-153 fighter.

Creation of special production

In the post-war years, the Flight Research Institute intercepted the initiative to design space suits for astronauts. His specialists received a task to develop suits designed for aviation pilots, conquering all new speeds and heights. However, for the serial production of one institute it was clearly not enough. That is why in October 1952 an engineer Alexander Boyko created a special workshop. He was in Tomilino near Moscow, at plant No. 918. Today this enterprise is called SPE Zvezda. It was in his time that Gagarin's spacesuit was created.

Flying into space

In the late 1950s a new era of development of extraterrestrial space began. It was during this period that the Soviet design engineers began designing the Vostok spacecraft, the first space vehicle. However, it was originally planned that cosmonauts' suits for this rocket would not be needed. The pilot was supposed to be in a special sealed container, which would be separated from the descent vehicle before landing. However, this scheme was very cumbersome and, in addition, required long-term testing. That is why in August 1960, the internal layout of the "East" was revised.

Specialists of the bureau Sergey Korolyov changed the container to the catapulted chair. In connection with this future cosmonauts needed protection in case of depressurization. She also became a spacesuit. However, the time for its docking with the on-board systems was sorely lacking. In this regard, all that was necessary for the life of the pilot, placed directly in the chair.

The first spacesuits cosmonauts were called SC-1. For their basis was taken high-altitude suit "Vorkuta", designed for pilots of the interceptor aircraft SU-9. Only the helmet was completely rebuilt. It installed a mechanism that was controlled by a special sensor. With the pressure drop in the spacesuit, a transparent visor slammed instantaneously.

The equipment for cosmonauts was made by individual measure. By the first flight it was created for those who showed the best level of training. This is the three leaders, which included Yuri Gagarin, German Titov and Grigory Nelyubov.

It is interesting that the cosmonauts visited space after space suit. One of the special suits of the SK-1 brand was sent into orbit during two test unmanned launches of the Vostok spacecraft, which took place in March 1961. In addition to the experimental mongrels, there was a manikin "Ivan Ivanovich" in a spacesuit aboard. In the chest of this artificial man, a cage with guinea pigs and mice was installed. And in order that accidental witnesses of landing did not accept "Ivan Ivanovich" for the alien, a visor with the inscription "Layout" was placed under the visor of his spacesuit.

SK-1 suits were used for five manned flights of the Vostok spacecraft. However, women-cosmonauts could not fly in them. For them, the model SK-2 was created. For the first time it was used during the flight of the Vostok-6 spacecraft. Made this suit, taking into account the features of the structure of the female body, for Valentina Tereshkova.

Developments of American specialists

During the implementation of the Mercury program, US designers followed the path of Soviet engineers, while making their proposals. So, the first American space suit took into account the fact that cosmonauts in space in the future will stay in orbit longer.

Designer Russell Collie made a special suit Navy Mark, originally intended for flights of pilots of naval aviation. Unlike other models, this suit was flexible and had a relatively small weight. To use this option in space programs, several changes were made to the design, which primarily concerned the construction of a helmet.

The suits of Americans proved their reliability. Only once, when the capsule of "Mercury-4" splashed down and began to sink, the suit nearly killed the astronaut Virgil Grisson. The pilot struggled to get out, because he could not disconnect from the onboard life support system for a long time.

Creating self-contained spacesuits

In connection with the rapid pace of space exploration, it was necessary to design new special suits. After all, the first models were just emergency and rescue. Because they were attached to the life support system of a manned spacecraft, cosmonauts could not have been in such equipment in space. To enter the open extraterrestrial space, it was necessary to design an autonomous spacesuit. This involved the designers of the USSR and the United States.

The Americans have created new modifications of the G3C, G4C, and G5C spaceports for their Gemini space program. The second one was intended for spacewalking. Despite the fact that all American suits were connected to the onboard life support system, they had a built-in autonomous device. If necessary, its resources would be enough to support the life of an astronaut for half an hour.

In the spacesuit G4C on 03/06/1965, Edward White stepped into open space. However, he was not a pioneer. For two and a half months before him, Alexei Leonov visited the spacecraft in space. For this historic flight, Soviet engineers developed a Berkut space suit. It differed from the SK-1 by the presence of a second hermetic shell. In addition, in the suit there was a knapsack, equipped with oxygen bottles, and a light filter was built into his helmet.

During his stay in outer space, a man connected a seven-meter-long halyard with a ship, which included a cushioning device, electrical wires, a steel cable and a hose for emergency supply of oxygen. The historical outlet to extraterrestrial space was held on 18.03.1965. Alexei Leonov was outside the spacecraft 23 min. 41 seconds

Suits for the development of the moon

After mastering the earth's orbit, the man rushed on. And his first goal was to fly to the moon. But to do this, they needed special autonomous spacesuits that would allow them to stay outside the ship for several hours. And they were created by the Americans during the development of the Apollo program. These suits provided protection of the astronaut from solar overheating and from micrometeorites. The first developed version of the moon suits was called A5L. However, in the future it was improved. In the new modification, the A6L provided a thermal insulation shell. Version A7L was a fire-resistant version.

Lunar spacesuits consisted of one-piece multi-layer suits that had flexible joints made of rubber. On the cuffs and collar there were metal rings intended for attaching tight gloves and a helmet. The suits were fastened with a vertical zipper sewn from the groin to the neck.

Americans stepped on the surface of the Moon on July 21, 1969. During this flight, they found their use of the A7L suits.

Soviet cosmonauts were also going to the moon. For this flight they created spacesuits called "Krechet". It was a semi-rigid version of the suit, on the back of which there was a special door. The cosmonaut had to get into it, thus putting on equipment. The door from the inside was closed. For this purpose, a side lever and a complicated circuit made of cables were provided. Inside the suit there was also a life support system. Unfortunately, the Soviet cosmonauts did not manage to visit the Moon. But the spacesuit created for such flights was later used in the development of other models.

Equipment for the newest ships

Beginning in 1967, the Soviet Union launched the launch of the Soyuz. These were vehicles designed to create orbital stations. The time of finding astronauts on them invariably increased.

For flights on the ships "Soyuz" a spacesuit "Yastreb" was manufactured. Its differences from the "Golden Eagle" consisted in the construction of a life support system. With her help, the respiratory mixture was circulated inside the spacesuit. Here it was cleared of harmful impurities and carbon dioxide, and then cooled.

The new rescue suit "Sokol-K" was used during the flight of "Soyuz-12" in September 1973. More advanced models of these protective suits were acquired even by trade representatives from China. It is interesting that when the manned Shanzhou spacecraft was launched, the astronauts in it were dressed in equipment very reminiscent of the Russian model.

For an exit in an open space the Soviet designers have created a spacesuit "Orlan". This autonomous semi-rigid equipment, similar to the lunar "Krechetom." To dress in it also had to be through the door in the back. But, unlike Krechet, Orlan was universal. His sleeves and trouser legs were easily adjusted to the desired height.

In spacesuits "Orlan" flights were made not only by Russian cosmonauts. On the model of this equipment the Chinese made their own "Feitian". In them they went out into space.

Diving suits of the future

To date, NASA is developing new space programs. They include flights to asteroids, to the moon, as well as an expedition to Mars. That is why the development of new modifications of spacesuits continues, which in the future will have to combine all the positive qualities of the working suit and rescue equipment. On which option will stop the developers, is still unknown.

Maybe it will be a heavy hard suit that protects a person from all negative external influences, or maybe modern technologies will create a universal shell, the elegance of which will be appreciated by future women astronauts.