Author Topic: Starliner Space Suit – a modified Boeing Blue version of ACES – revealed  (Read 37063 times)

Offline Chris Bergin

« Last Edit: 01/25/2017 05:13 pm by Chris Bergin »
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Offline cletus

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A vacuum-proof zipper! Is that a recent invention? Seems super useful.

Offline pippin

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I don't think the zipper is airtight.
The way it looks it's designed to help re-shape the suite between standing and sitting, essentially folding in a belly-section of the suite.
It looks like it's entirely on the outside of the suit

Offline jarnu

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There are two zippers in the video. The one in the belly and the one in the helmet. It is the last one what surprises me. Is it airtight? How?
« Last Edit: 01/25/2017 06:42 pm by jarnu »

Offline Comga

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I don't think the zipper is airtight.
The way it looks it's designed to help re-shape the suite between standing and sitting, essentially folding in a belly-section of the suite.
It looks like it's entirely on the outside of the suit
The video directly states " ... the new, reduced size helmet opens and closes with a zipper for convenience."
It is shown being closed at the neck.
The text discusses different zippers in the torso. Possibly a solution to the dreaded"spacesuit droopy butt" syndrome.  ;D
« Last Edit: 01/25/2017 06:36 pm by Comga »
What kind of wastrels would dump a perfectly good booster in the ocean after just one use?

Offline Johnnyhinbos

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Airtight zippers have been around for a long time. Fabric rubber backed brass zippers were originally developed by BF Goodrich for NASA and have long been adopted for use in drysuits. (Well, YKK zippers). The pressure delta is about 1/3 ATA, so not terribly huge.

Here I'm pressure testing a drysuit at work. The YKK sipper is across the shoulders.


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Offline ethan829

A vacuum-proof zipper! Is that a recent invention? Seems super useful.


Many pressure suits have used zippers. There's some good discussion on how they work here: http://www.collectspace.com/ubb/Forum14/HTML/001299.html

Offline DOCinCT

The video from the Boeing web page is out on YouTube

Offline jarnu

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Ok, I see. I wasn't aware of that capability. And I suppose it was used before for that critical joint. It seems it creates a very confortable and light helmet. The rest of the suit seems also thinner, flexible and light. At least in the joints that go between torso and limbs.

Offline Rocket Science

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« Last Edit: 01/25/2017 09:23 pm by Rocket Science »
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Offline Orbiter

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I vote to call this the "blueberry" suit as opposed to NASA's "pumpkin" suit :)
KSC Engineer, astronomer, rocket photographer.

Offline Lars-J

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Neat!  8) I like it.

Although "Boeing blue" color might be a poor choice for visibility during an ocean abort.

I do wonder how custom it has do be for different body shapes. Will each astronaut need a custom one, or is it more one size fits all, or somewhere in-between with a few standard sizes?
« Last Edit: 01/25/2017 08:05 pm by Lars-J »

Offline okan170

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Neat!  8) I like it.

Although "Boeing blue" color might be a poor choice for visibility during an ocean abort.

I do wonder how custom it has do be for different body shapes. Will each astronaut need a custom one, or is it more one size fits all, or somewhere in-between with a few standard sizes?

From the presentation, it sounded like there would be a variety of different sizes available.

Offline MATTBLAK

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Neat!  8) I like it.

Although "Boeing blue" color might be a poor choice for visibility during an ocean abort.

I do wonder how custom it has do be for different body shapes. Will each astronaut need a custom one, or is it more one size fits all, or somewhere in-between with a few standard sizes?
Maybe they'll have bright orange or yellow 'Mae West' life vests to put on over them in after an abort splashdown scenario? http://c8.alamy.com/comp/D7NNBG/ww2-raf-pilotcrew-member-with-flying-helmet-mae-west-life-jacket-D7NNBG.jpg
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Offline Steven Pietrobon

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The pressure delta is about 1/3 ATA, so not terribly huge.

Had to look up what an ATA is. Its basically 1 atmosphere = 101.325 kPa. So 1/3 ATA is about 34 kPa.
Akin's Laws of Spacecraft Design #1:  Engineering is done with numbers.  Analysis without numbers is only an opinion.

Offline Zed_Noir

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Although "Boeing blue" color might be a poor choice for visibility during an ocean abort.


The color of the suit doesn't do much for visibility at sea. Much better to have reflective strips which  will do a much better job. Since you need a light source emitting from the searcher to see anyone in the middle of the sea.

Offline woods170

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Although "Boeing blue" color might be a poor choice for visibility during an ocean abort.


The color of the suit doesn't do much for visibility at sea. Much better to have reflective strips which  will do a much better job. Since you need a light source emitting from the searcher to see anyone in the middle of the sea.
Nope. NASA did not require a high-visibility pressure suit. Starliner will only land on water in extreme contingency cases (default is landing on land) and the crew is supposed to stay inside the capsule until help arrives. From that point forward you do not need high visibility suits.
« Last Edit: 01/26/2017 08:24 am by woods170 »

Offline jacqmans

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« Last Edit: 01/26/2017 11:57 am by jacqmans »
Jacques :-)

Offline Rocket Science

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They might incorporate glow sticks, LED light sticks and strobe lights with a locator beacon...
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Offline jgoldader

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I'm a little surprised they didn't use conformal helmets.  The Columbia crew survival report had a lot to say about trauma from the loose-fitting helmets.  Is ASAP going to be happy?
Recovering astronomer

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