Advanced Crew Escape Suit

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The ACES (pictured here: a member of the STS-130 )

The Advanced Crew Escape Suit or ACES ( English for Evolved crew rescue suit is) a pressure suit that since the resumption of the shuttle program after the Challenger disaster of all astronauts aboard the US space shuttle was worn during takeoff and landing of the space shuttle . The suit is a further development of the pressure suits of the SR-71 , X-15 and U-2 pilots as well as the NASA launch-entry suit . The suits were from the David Clark Company in Worcester ( Massachusetts produced).

construction

The ACES consisted of the following parts:

  • a one-piece pressure suit with an integrated pressure membrane and ventilation system. Oxygen is supplied via a connection on the left hip and on to the helmet via a special valve in the connection ring in the neck. The helmet and gloves are connected to the suit with gray-metallic quick-connect rings. The outer fabric is made of Nomex in the color International Orange. This color should make it easier to find space travelers, for example when ditching.
  • a helmet with a lockable visor and a black sunscreen over it. A communication hood is worn under the helmet. This hood is brownish and identical to that of the Russian Sokol spacesuits. Older suits had white hoods. The hood was connected to the communication system of the space shuttle via a connector inside the helmet. A vent valve on the back of the helmet allows carbon dioxide to be released . The transparent front window is closed with a locking mechanism that can also be easily operated with gloves.
  • two gloves that were fastened with a locking ring like the helmet. They are the same color as the rest of the suit. The inner surface of the gloves is textured to make it easier to operate the switches and control the space shuttle.
  • two black skydiving boots made of leather with zippers.
  • a survival pack that was put on before boarding the orbiter. This contained, among other things, a parachute with a diameter of eight meters, an inflatable dinghy and an emergency ration of drinking water (two liters).

literature

  • Kenneth S. Thomas & Harold J. McMann: US Spacesuits . 1st edition. Springer Praxis, Chichester, UK 2005, ISBN 0-387-27919-9 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ crew escape system 21,002th In: NASA.gov. Retrieved June 11, 2014 .