Technical Paper
Neck-Entry Suitports: A Novel Concept Utilizing Morphing Upper Torso Technology
2009-07-12
2009-01-2571
This paper describes a unique concept for donning and doffing a spacesuit from a pressurized rover or habitat, which merges three independent concepts: suitports, neck-entry EVA suits, and the Morphing Upper Torso. The union of these concepts creates a novel and exciting suit and suitport system architecture, with many potential benefits over traditional suitport systems. To develop this concept, a neck-entry Morphing Upper Torso experimental model has been designed and fabricated, and systems level design studies have been performed, including visualization with the aid of CAD models of the neck-entry suitport on a small pressurized rover and a lunar habitat. As well, a donning test-station has been developed and used for experiments in 1-G, simulated microgravity and simulated partial gravity.