A history of the spacesuit
An inside look at eight innovative space suits developed by NASA in the 1960s
Suit: A4-H, Prototype. Year: 1965. Created by Hamilton Standard, this suit was designed for Apollo training purposes only. Suits are tested in a pool alternatively known as a Weightless Environment Test Facility. The nylon
and aluminum suit is filled with air, as it would be in space, and weights are strapped around the tester’s waist. Testing underwater simulates the weightless feeling of being in space. (Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum)
Share
From the early days of space exploration, engineers have tried to keep a human being alive in the hostile environment that is outer space. Here are some of their designs.
Get to know the great unknowable. Read Maclean’s special Space issue, on newsstands this week and on Next Issue, Apple Newsstand and Google Play now.
[rdm-gallery id=’521′]