Mark III (space suit)
The Mark III or MK III (H-1) is a
The Mark III is a rear-entry suit, unlike the
at the shoulder, upper arm, hip, waist, and ankle, and soft fabric joints at the elbow, knee, and ankle.The Mark III was originally designed to an 8.3 pounds per square inch (57 kPa) operating pressure, which would make the Mark III a "zero-prebreathe" suit. For a vehicle with a one atmosphere, mixed-gas environment, such as that on the International Space Station, the suit could be donned and ready for an EVA within the normal donning and checkout period without risk of the bends, which can occur with rapid depressurization from an atmosphere containing nitrogen or another inert gas. Currently, ISS astronauts must spend several hours in a reduced pressure, pure oxygen environment before EVA to avoid these risks.[1]
Testing
The Mark III, as well as ILC's I-Suit, has been involved in field testing during NASA's annual Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS) field trials, during which suit occupants interact with one another, and with rovers and other equipment.[2]
Subjects wearing the Mark III were able to kneel to pick up objects, a task which would be difficult in either the Apollo
As a result of the success of zero- and partial-gravity testing on the
References
- ^ a b Wade, Mark. "NASA Mark III". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 2007-02-02. Retrieved 2007-02-09.
- ^ a b "Weighing the Benefits of the I-suit". Astrobiology Magazine. October 20, 2005.
- ^ "Learning to Work in the Suit". Astrobiology Magazine. October 10, 2005. Retrieved 2007-02-09.