Overview

Spacesuits are far more than garments. They are a personalized spacecraft that allows direct contact and interaction with everything beyond our world, and a last refuge for survival in a disaster. Creating safe, reliable, and comfortable spacesuits is an ongoing challenge that has spanned over four decades. 'U. S. Spacesuits, 2nd Edition' by Kenneth S. Thomas and Harold J. McMann details the technical evolution of U. S. spacesuits from their roots in high altitude aviation and vacuum tube development to present day, with an additional look into the future. This primary source of spacesuit information explains the functions, historical development, and use of spacesuits from a worldwide perspective. In this new edition, the authors update the story of U.S. spacesuit development and efforts, from the design challenges modern engineers face to the latest roles of spacesuits in space exploration. The book also provides a close up look at NASA's new Constellation Space Suit System as well as Apollo prototype configurations that have been discovered since 2005. Also not in the earlier edition is a prototype and model of the Gemini pressure suit and an explanation of its development. Finally, there are new insights into the suits used for the Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle, and International Space Station missions.

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9781283445122

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Reviews

From the reviews: This excellent book ... presents the basics of the environment in which a space suit must operate, starting with the need for aircraft suit requirements in WW I. Thomas and McMann show the history of the development of suits for in-cabin use, space walking, escape systems, and general life support. ... For readers who seek detailed information on space suits. Summing Up: Recommended. Faculty; researchers; professionals. (W. E. Howard III, CHOICE, Vol. 43 (10), June, 2006) The authors provide the reader with an appreciation of spacesuits and U.S. suit efforts through development challenges to their role in space exploration. ??? The book details the technical evolution of U.S. spacesuits from their roots in high-altitude aviation and vacuum tube development to the present day, with an additional look into the future. ??? It also includes many technically and historically interesting efforts that never reached flight ??? . (Quest, Vol. 13 (4), 2006) The authors describe in detail the development of the various spacesuits developed in the US ??? . In the process they provide a fair amount of ???spacesuit technology??? by drawing our attention on the design requirements. ??? useful appendices of the book provide a summary of the actual operational suits that were produced as well as a detailed listing of the EVAs that were performed with these suits. The book is clearly aimed at spacesuit specialists, making it a unique and wonderful source of information. (Jos Heyman, Tiros Space Information, April, 2006) In his introduction, astronaut and spacewalker Storey Musgrave describes this book as ???historical, massively comprehensive, precise, informative, relevant and readable???. I completely agree: everything you ever wanted to know about US spacesuits is here, well illustrated, well set out and, for such a specialist topic, quite readable too. Strongly recommended for die-hard spaceflight enthusiasts, historians, or aerospace engineers with a professional interest. (John Davies, The Observatory, Vol. 126 (1195), December, 2006)

From the reviews: <p> This excellent book ... presents the basics of the environment in which a space suit must operate, starting with the need for aircraft suit requirements in WW I. Thomas and McMann show the history of the development of suits for in-cabin use, space walking, escape systems, and general life support. ... For readers who seek detailed information on space suits. Summing Up: Recommended. Faculty; researchers; professionals. (W. E. Howard III, CHOICE, Vol. 43 (10), June, 2006) <p> The authors provide the reader with an appreciation of spacesuits and U.S. suit efforts through development challenges to their role in space exploration. ??? The book details the technical evolution of U.S. spacesuits from their roots in high-altitude aviation and vacuum tube development to the present day, with an additional look into the future. ??? It also includes many technically and historically interesting efforts that never reached flight ??? . (Quest, Vol. 13 (4), 2006) <p> The authors describe in detail the development of the various spacesuits developed in the US ??? . In the process they provide a fair amount of ???spacesuit technology??? by drawing our attention on the design requirements. ??? useful appendices of the book provide a summary of the actual operational suits that were produced as well as a detailed listing of the EVAs that were performed with these suits. The book is clearly aimed at spacesuit specialists, making it a unique and wonderful source of information. (Jos Heyman, Tiros Space Information, April, 2006) <p> In his introduction, astronaut and spacewalker Storey Musgrave describes this book as ???historical, massively comprehensive, precise, informative, relevant and readable???. I completely agree: everything you ever wanted to know about US spacesuits is here, well illustrated, well set out and, for such a specialist topic, quite readable too. Strongly recommended for die-hard spaceflight enthusiasts, historians, or aerospace engineers with a professional interest. (John Davies, The Observatory, Vol. 126 (1195), December, 2006)

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