Spacesuit Designer

Recently, Ross helped design two new suits for NASA’s future missions to the moon. One suit is made for the launch and the return trip to Earth. The other will be worn on the moon’s surface. Both have many improvements over the ones worn during NASA’s moon missions from 1969 to 1972. 

The new suit designed to be worn on the moon is made of 11 layers of material. The layers will protect astronauts from radiation, small space rocks, and the extreme temperatures on the moon—as hot as 123°C (253°F) and as cold as -233°C (-387°F)! They also help seal the suit and keep it pressurized, or inflated like a balloon, so that astronauts’ lungs will not collapse. The Portable Life Support System, which is shaped like a backpack, holds the oxygen that the astronauts breathe.

“You can think of a spacesuit as a human-shaped spaceship,” Ross says. “It protects the astronauts the same way.”

Ross helped design two new suits. These suits will be worn during NASA’s missions to the moon in the future. One suit will be worn during the launch. That suit will also be worn during the return trip to Earth. The second suit will be worn on the moon’s surface. Both suits are designed to better protect astronauts than NASA’s older spacesuits.

The new suit that will be worn on the moon is made of 11 layers of material. The layers will protect astronauts from radiation. They will help stop small space rocks from hurting astronauts. The layers will also protect astronauts from the extreme temperatures on the moon. The moon can be as hot as 123°C (253°F). It can be as cold as -233°C (-387°F)! The layers also help seal the suit. The layers keep the suit pressurized, or inflated like a balloon. That way, astronauts’ lungs will not collapse. The Portable Life Support System holds oxygen. The astronauts will breathe the oxygen while on the moon. The Portable Life Support System is shaped like a backpack.

“You can think of a spacesuit as a human-shaped spaceship,” Ross says. “It protects the astronauts the same way.”

Creating new spacesuit designs can take up to 10 years. Ross starts by making a list of requirements that the suits must meet. “We wanted the new moon suit to be more flexible than previous spacesuits,” Ross says. “We redesigned every joint so that astronauts can bend and flex more easily.” The new suits also have interchangeable parts so they can better fit astronauts of different sizes. 

Once the engineers have a design, suits are built and assembled piece by piece. Scientists test the suits in special facilities that mimic the gravity, air pressure, and temperature of space. That way, engineers know long before launch that the suits work as planned to keep astronauts safe. 

It can take up to 10 years to create new spacesuit designs. Ross starts by making a list of what each suit must be able to do. “We wanted the new moon suit to be more flexible than previous spacesuits,” Ross says. “We redesigned every joint so that astronauts can bend and flex more easily.” The new suits also have parts that can be easily removed and replaced. That way the suits can better fit astronauts of different sizes.

The suits are built when the engineers have a finished design. The suits are put together one piece at a time. Scientists test the suits in special facilities. These facilities make it feel like you are in space. They have less gravity. They have less air pressure. The temperature is more extreme. Engineers can make sure that the suits will keep astronauts safe.