Leonard David's INSIDE OUTER SPACE

Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

China has strutted out its Moon-landing spacesuit, unveiling its design in a ceremony Saturday in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality.

A technician put the suit through its paces, showcasing various movements and gestures, including climbing the rungs of a ladder.

Image credit: CCTV/CMS/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Image credit: CCTV/CMS/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Image credit: CCTV/CMS/Inside Outer Space screengrab

The Feitian EVA suit is tagged as China’s first indigenous spacesuit. Feitian means “flying in the sky,” is the name of a legendary Buddhist goddess.

Ribbons have always been an important element in the design of Chinese spacesuits. The overall design of the Moon-landing suit is inspired by the traditional Chinese armor, underscoring the suit’s rugged and resolute appearance.

Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Multi-use suit

“The Feitian extra-vehicular activity suit is designed for use in low Earth orbit, where astronauts float in a microgravity environment,” said Zhang Wanxin, director of the Spacesuit Engineering Office and deputy chief designer of the Astronaut System at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.

Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

“Therefore, we chose the ribbon element to convey a sense of free flow,” Zhang told China Central Television (CCTV). “The Moon-landing suit is designed for lunar explorations such as walking and working on the Moon surface, so we would also like to convey a strong-willed and unswerving feeling, which we integrated organically into the suit’s design.”

Following the suit demonstration, Yang Liwei, deputy chief designer of China’s manned space program and China’s first astronaut, together with the technician, launched a public name the Moon-landing suit. This campaign will close at 24:00 on October 31, 2024.

Suit features

Experts on China’s first-ever lunar spacesuit provided additional details on the garment that features light weight and high flexibility to protect astronauts from the Moon’s harsh conditions.

According to CCTV, the suit has several attributes:

• a comprehensively protective fabric that shields against the harsh thermal environment and lunar dust
• a panoramic glare-proof visor for improved vision
• two cameras on the sides of the helmet for video recording
• a multi-functional control console on the chest that streamlines operations for greater efficiency.
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  Wang Chunhui, deputy chief designer of astronauts training systems at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
  Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Changes in posture

In contrast to China’s current extravehicular spacesuit version, “the new one is mainly designed to be lightweight, catering to the demands of activities in a low-gravity environment, with configurations that allow for squatting and bending with ease,” CCTV reports.

According to Wang Chunhui, deputy chief designer of astronauts training systems at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center, the suit’s fit must remain unaffected by changes in posture to accommodate the various positions required on the Moon.

“The suit allows for more actions. So in various postures, the fitness shouldn’t be affected after a posture change. Therefore it requires a better fit on human body,” Wang told CCTV, adding that the suit is more like regular clothes compared with other extravehicular spacesuits.

Wu Zhiqiang is deputy chief designer, astronauts training systems at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.
Image credit: CCTV/Inside Outer Space screengrab

Complex environmental factors

Wu Zhiqiang is deputy chief designer, astronauts training systems at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center.

“Different from performing low-Earth orbit missions, astronauts will be exposed to a naturally harsh lunar environment when carrying out lunar-surface extravehicular activities,” Wu said.

“Complex environmental factors such as high vacuum and low gravity, dust and Moon soil, complex surface topography, high and low temperatures, strong radiation will have a big impact on the work and protection of astronauts,” Wu told CCTV.

Better ergonomic support

“Considering that they are working under one-sixth gravity, in order to reduce the metabolic load of the human body, it is a must to greatly reduce the suit’s weight,” said Wu.

“As astronauts will walk on the lunar surface and carry out scientific research activities, the spacesuits must have better ergonomic support capabilities, and be smaller and more integrated. And the comprehensive protection capability of lunar-landing boots must also be greatly improved,” he said.

Go to this video clip of the unveiling ceremony at:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/bht4oJsE1bKfPf1D/

Also, go to SegerYU posting at:

https://x.com/i/status/1839840815243288951

Image credit: CCTV/CMS/Inside Outer Space screengrab