The spacesuit redefines personal protection, transforming astronauts into independent spacefarers during EVAs from orbiting labs like the ISS. This pressurized cocoon withstands space’s brutal gauntlet, where oversight means catastrophe.
Key defenses: airtight seals against vacuum; thermal layers for temp fluxes; radiation barriers; impact-resistant shielding from orbital specks. Internally, it oxygenates blood, filters exhaled CO2 via lithium hydroxide, maintains pressure like Earth’s sea level, dispenses water, and cools via garment-embedded tubes snaking across the body.
Design highlights include the unyielding upper torso linking helmet (with anti-fog visors and comms), articulated limbs for precision work, reinforced boots for station footing. The crown jewel: dorsal PLSS backpack, integrating life essentials—O2 reserves, electrical backbone, ventilation blowers, humidity controls, all sustaining 6-8 hour outings.
SAFER adds maneuvering flair, its thrusters correcting drifts. Variations exist: Sokol for Soyuz, orange ACES for shuttle launches. NASA’s next-gen for Moon and Mars? Sleeker, modular, with knee-flexing joints, electroactive polymers for agility, and regolith-repelling coatings to endure harsh exoplanet hikes.