If you think that NASA’s new Z–1 spacesuit prototype looks a lot like Buzz Lightyear, you are not alone. The agency recently concluded a round of tests on the new kit’s mobility, testing its fit, range of motion, and the ease of getting in and out of it in reduced gravity.
The Z–1 is a big departure from the current EMU spacesuit in two ways. First, astronauts enter and exit the suit from the back (it has a hatchback) rather than putting the top and bottom on separately, which should make "donning and doffing" faster and less likely to cause injury. Even more impressive, the suit uses a "suitport" design, so instead of using an airlock to let astronauts move from their vehicle’s pressurized cabin into the outside environment,...
via The Verge - All Posts http://www.theverge.com/2012/12/20/3790586/nasas-z1-spacesuit-prototype-looks-like-buzz-lightyear
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