Environmental suit
From the Encyclopedia of Speculative Fiction - http://encyclopedia.wizards.pro
An Environmental suit ,also known as an EV suit, was a special form off clothing designed to be used in alien environments were the wearer could not survive without it.
With the advent of spacetravel came the need to perform tasks outside the vehicle the person was traveling or living in. For this purpose the EV suit was developed. Later on, when planets and other stellar objects came within the reach of Human space explorers, the EV suit became a necessity to explore objects whom environment was different than that on Earth.
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History
In later part of the 20th century, during the spacerace between the United States of America (NASA) and the Soviet Union (RAKA), the first EV suits were developed. These suits evolved from the pressurized flight suit which was used to protect the wearer against sudden pressure loss in his or her cockpit. Although both space agencies had different approaches, both their EV suits had the same characteristics and were useable for EVA (Extra Vehicular Activity) from an orbital space station or spaceship.
The first EV suit designed to explore stellar objects was the Apollo A7LB spacesuit. Although cumbersome and limited to a mission time of only seven hours it fulfilled it's expectations and made it possible for NASA to put the first man on the moon on July 20 1969. The same type of EV suit was used for several moon missions. A disadvantage was that a seperate suit had to be made for every astronaut to make sure the suit would have a good fit.
With the Space shuttle missions came a new EV suit named the Extravehicular Activity space suit or EVA suit. This suit was designed to fit more than one astronaut and had also the posibility to attach an EMU or Extravehicular Mobility Unit so one could manoeuver in space. One drawback of this suit was, because the suit was pressurized at 8.3 psi and the astronaut would breath pure oxygen, that an astronaut needed to pre-breath for several hours before he or she could use it. Later on, the suit pressure was lowered removing the need to pre-breathe. The suit had a mission time of seven hours and could be warn by men or women. (NASA)
After World War III there were no space agencies left, let alone the will to explore space, but in 2063 Zefram Cochrane launched his spaceship Phoenix and although he and his copilote's did not wear any pressure or flight suits he wrote history by making first contact with an alien species after the Phoenix ended had his flight. (Star Trek: First Contact)
22nd Century
In the middle of the 22nd Century, Starfleet was busy with the NX program on which it's warp 5 engine was being tested. This testing was done in the NX-Alpha and NX-Beta starships and the pilots of these ships had only unpressurized flight suits.
In this century new EV suits, in a dark gold-brown color with grey paddings, were in use and were standard issue onboard the NX class starships who were build after the completion of the NX program, the Enterprise NX-01 being the first off this class. The NX class EV suit was comprised of several components.
Helmet
The helmet had a clear vizor and gave the wearer an almost normal overall field off view. Vertical field off view was limited to 8 degrees but because the helmet did not tightly fit around the wearers head, he or she could move in it for several degrees, the actual field off view was greater than the helmet would normally allow. The vizor was integrated in the front part of the helmet and could not be opened seperately. The helmet had two outside lights, one on either side, and two ambient lights inside to illuminate the wearers face. When the vizor was closed the ambient lights would turn on. A small earphone was attached to the helmet which the wearer could insert in his or her ear, making it possible to stay in contact with a ship or other space vehicle. Located on the back of the helmet were the oxygen in- and outlet, including air hoses, and an electrical connector. Via this connector the lights and earphone were connected to the lifesupport and propulsion unit. The helmet connected to the lifesupport and propulsion unit, not to the EV suit directly, via a secudary connection ring. Padding within the helmet made sure the wearer could not touch the vizor with his or her face.
EV Suit
The EV suit was made as one part and self-sealing, when the suit was punctured or damaged in some way, sealant prevented the suit from decompression and so protected the wearer from a possible death or other form of physical discomfort. The suit was closed at the front via a zip fastener and the arms stopped just below the elbow. Extra padding was present against additional wear and tear. Although the suit was solid enough to protect it's wearer from the rigors of space, a hypospray could still penetrate it in case of an emergency. Against a neutronic wavefront the suit could only protect it's wearer for about 22 minutes.
Lifesupport and Propulsion
The lifesupport and propulsion unit (LSPU) consisted off a hard upper-torso body-shell and a harness. The LSPU contained all a person needed to survive, communication equipment, overall powersupply, oxygen, propulsion unit, EV controls and an extra oxygen hose to refill or share the oxygen supply among other things. It was padded to give the wearer some extra comfort. Via the extra hose oxygen could be replenished from any device that held liquid oxygen, providing the physical connection would fit.
On the front the following swithes were present, communications, oxygen transfer, lighting and propulsion activation.
On the back were two oxygen connections, in and outlet. The helmet hoses were fastened via a bayonet joint to prevent accidental release. An electrical cord, which transferred power and communications from the LSPU to the helmet, was connected to the electrical connector at the back of the helmet. Below one of the oxygen connections was an air supply indicator, divided into eight equal parts, this indicated the level of oxygen by means of color coding. (green, yellow and red) In 2154 this air supply indicator was removed and replaced by an analog indicator on the right-side of the LSPU.
The harness consisted off two leg bands, one for each leg, both were connected to each other via a belt, when necessary small tools could be attached to this belt. Four attachment points were present on the LSPU to which the harness needed to be attached so the LSPU could not move.
Gloves
The gloves had five digits and were connected to the EV suit via a zip fastener just below the elbow. They were also self-sealing.
Boots
The boots were made out off the same material as the EV suit and could be magnetised. (ENT:"Minefield","Babel One")
Starship use
On the NX class starships several EV suits were present, at least six off them. Senior officers and some security personnel had their own suit. There were other suits for general use. (ENT:"The Catwalk","The Crossing")
24th Century
In the 24th Century the EV suit had changed into a white colored tight fitted suit and not all parts could be used any more by men and women. The 24th century EV suit was comprised of several components.
Helmet
The helmet was smaller than it's 22nd century counterpart and had a clear vizor which could not be openend. Inside, two ambient lights were present on each side of the helmet to illuminate the wearers face. Audio equipment, like a microphone and speaker, were integrated.
EV Suit
The EV suit was made as one part and was not self-sealing.
Lifesupport
The lifesupport unit (LSU) consisted off a hard upper-torso body-shell, which was different for men and women. The LSU contained all a person needed to survive, communication equipment, overall powersupply, oxygen, EV controls and an extra oxygen hose. Alerts were not only visible via the, color coded, EV controls but also via audio. Via the extra oxygen hose it was possible to share the oxygen with someone else.
Gloves
The gloves had five digits and were connected to the EV suit via a self-sealing mechanism.
Boots
The boots were made out off the same material as the EV suit and could be magnetised.
See also:
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