Space Knowledge – Other Planets & Spacesuit – Zenith

The documentary “Space Knowledge: Other Planets & Spacesuit | Zenith |” talks about the history and evolution of spacesuits that have enabled humans to work in space.

The documentary starts by discussing the need for a spacesuit, which must protect the astronaut from the vacuum beyond the atmosphere, supply oxygen, and provide insulation from extreme heat and cold. The spacesuit must also have means of communication with the outside world and enable freedom of movement.

The documentary then takes a look back at the early days of aviation, when aviators wanted to fly at heights that could not support life. The video talks about the different solutions that aviators came up with to survive at high altitudes.

In the United States, aviator Wiley Post devised the first serviceable pressure suit with the help of tire maker BF Goodrich. As jet power was introduced, operational ceilings lifted, and pressurized crew compartments were adopted. The pressure suit with a fully enclosed helmet was necessary as sudden cabin depressurization could be lethal.

In the 1950s, partial pressure suits became common. They had inflatable capstans that stopped the blood from draining to the legs under heavy g-forces, avoiding blackouts.

A unique American spy plane, the U-2, began reconnaissance missions over the Soviet Union, flying at 21,000 meters, beyond the range of Soviet radar. Pilots flying the U-2 wore a new partial pressure suit, the MC3, which was designed to be under pressure throughout the mission without which the pilot’s blood would boil.

The video then talks about the research program using hypersonic aircraft to learn about the problems associated with ultra-high-speed ultra-high-altitude operations.

The culmination of this program was represented by the X-15, a rocket-powered aircraft that could fly to the edge of the atmosphere. The cabin of the X-15 was pressurized with nitrogen to reduce the risk of fire for the pilot.

A new full-pressure flight suit known as the XMC2 was developed, which was pressurized with nitrogen. This suit was the predecessor of NASA’s most important spacesuits.

The video also talks about the first real space suit worn by Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin in 1961 aboard Vostok 1. Since 1959, the newly formed U.S. space agency NASA had been working towards launching an American interspace.

Seven test pilots had been selected as the Mercury program’s first group of astronauts. The first attempt would be a short hop as the only booster available at the time, the Redstone, lacked the power to reach orbit.

As a starting point, NASA looked at the XMC2 used for X-15 flights and the Navy’s aviation pressure suit, the Mark IV. NASA decided that the Mark IV suit was lighter and could be more easily modified for space flight.

For all six manned Mercury missions, the Mark IV suit performed well, but the demands placed upon it were modest. Like most pressure suits at the time, it served as a backup in the event of cabin pressure failure because this never happened on the Mercury flights. This suit was only ever pressurized at launch.

In the early 1960s, the Soviet Union space program was achieving an impressive list of firsts. In 1961, the new president, John Kennedy, had boldly proclaimed that America should land a man on the moon before the end of the decade, and NASA was flooded with funds. This was the beginning of the space race.

In our universe, there are an estimated 100 billion galaxies, each containing billions of stars. With numbers that large, it’s hard to wrap our heads around the vast emptiness of space. Yet, despite its size, man has been exploring and learning about space for centuries.

There are many questions yet to be answered about our universe, but we are making progress. In this article, we will explore other planets in our solar system as well as the technology behind modern spacesuits.

In conclusion, the video provides a brief history of spacesuits and their evolution. The video highlights the importance of spacesuits in enabling humans to work in space and discusses the different types of pressure suits developed over the years.