Functional Man in Simulated Space

To date, manned operations in space chambers have been restricted to mission testing, and man's unique capabilities have not been usefully employed. Man has not functioned as an in situ experimenter or operator because of the well-recognized physiological restrictions imposed by the available space suits. The early “hard-suit” applied the principle of constant volume to obtain mobility in a pressurized joint. This principle has been further refined and embodied in a space suit developed for NASA. With reduced bulk and weight, and mobility approaching that of an unsuited man, this most recent suit permits immediate consideration of useful manned operations. With further development in the direction indicated by this approach, such operations can reasonably be expected to become routine.