Krechet-94

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Krechet-94 Suit

The Krechet-94 (

microgravity spacewalks. The developmental model was known simply as Krechet.[1]

Design features

Weighing 90 kg (198 lb), the suit could operate for 10 hours before requiring a resupply of consumables, and had a total operating lifetime of 48 hours. The Krechet was the first semi-rigid space suit ever developed, with an

ball-bearing
joints, which allowed for almost 360 degree rotation.

The Krechet was a rear-entry suit, meaning that

life support backpack
was incorporated into the hatch. The rear-entry hatch concept is attributed to Zvezda engineer Anatoli Stoklitskii.

The suit featured a chest-mounted control and instrument panel which could fold out for use or fold flat against the chest when not needed. The suit also featured a metal "hula hoop" ring on the back, which would allow a solo cosmonaut who fell on his back to roll onto his side and use his arms and legs to stand. The suit had two snap-down visors, providing differing levels of sun protection, in addition to a clear visor. The outer visor was coated in gold for reflectivity.

The suit was designed to be worn over a liquid cooling garment. The inner fabric of the suit was gray nylon canvas. The suit was insulated with waffle-textured foil. The outer layer was an off-white satin-weave fabric with orange trim.

Because of constraints in shoulder and elbow mobility in the Krechet, the Soviet lunar lander featured a "finger controller" which allowed a suited pilot to operate the lander. The Krechet would have served as a microgravity suit as well as a surface suit, as the Soviet lunar lander (LK) and command module (LOK) were not designed for intravehicular crew transfer.

Specifications

  • Name: Krechet-94/Krechet Spacesuit[1]
  • Derived from: SKV EVA (developmental) Spacesuit[1]
  • Manufacturer: NPP Zvezda
  • Missions: Never used
  • Function: Lunar extra-vehicular activity (EVA)
  • Operating Pressure: 400 hPa (5.8 psi)[1]
  • Total Weight: 106 kg (234 lb)[1]
  • Primary Life Support: 10 hours (600 minutes)[1]

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References

External links