Posted December 6, 2000
Jennifer Laing reports on a young Australian involved in new spacesuit design. James Waldie, a Research Scholar at UCSD, is looking at new spacesuit models for both intra-vehicular (IVA) and extra-vehicular (EVA) use, to help counteract the debilitating effects of weightlessness on astronauts, and perhaps assist expeditions to the Moon and Mars.
Talk to US astronauts who have tried wearing the Russian 'pingvin' or 'penguin' spacesuit and the reaction is not overwhelmingly positive. The consensus appears to be that it's hot, heavy and very uncomfortable to wear. The suit uses adjustable elastic cords or bungees in an attempt to compress the bones in space and keep them loaded, and was developed for the cosmonauts in 1971 by doctors at the Russian Center for Aeronautical and Space Medicine.
A young Australian is currently looking at how to make such compression garments more comfortable in space, yet still able to counteract negative effects on the body of living in microgravity, such as bone loss and fluid shifts. James Waldie, a 23 year old student enrolled in a Masters of Aerospace Engineering at RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia, has been given the opportunity of a lifetime. Thanks to his interest in the 'pingvin' suit, he is now involved in research on mechanical counter pressure (MCP) technology for spacesuits as a Research Scholar at the University of California San Diego's Space Physiology Laboratory.
Waldie's journey to UCSD began during Christmas 1999, when he designed an elastic suit which simulates gravity on the body inside a spacecraft. As he explains, "The suit works by loading and compressing the musculo-skeletal system just as our own weight does on Earth. It also had electro-stimulation to control muscle atrophy and compression cuffs to control fluid shifts. This design was sent to NASA for feedback. The first thing I learnt was that elastic compression was not new: the Russians have been using such an intravehicular activity (IVA) suit called the pingvin suit for many years."
"There is very little documentation on the pingvin suit, and no physiological research has been performed to verify its effectiveness. The next thing I learnt about was the development of a MCP suit which functions on roughly the same principle as the pingvin, but was designed for extravehicular activities (EVAs) or spacewalks. As I had demonstrated an interest and knowledge in this area, I was invited by Dr. Alan Hargens of NASA Ames and UCSD to help study the MCP suit in his Space Physiology Lab."
MCP is not strictly speaking a new concept for spacesuit design. As Waldie explains, "The idea of MCP was first published by Paul Webb in the late 1960's. Dr. Webb is a consultant for our project now. It was called a space activity suit, and by the early 1970's was quite well developed. However, with the demise of the Apollo program the project was cancelled. In recent years, the project has seen renewed interest from Honeywell (who are contracted to develop the suit) and NASA. Our job here at the Space Physiology Lab. is to investigate the physiological effects of wearing such a suit."
There are several problems with the existing spacesuits used by astronauts on EVAs, which MCP technology is aimed at solving. These suits are essentially "bulky, rigid, gas-pressurized shells" which are hard to manoeuvre, especially on delicately intricate EVA missions, such as those required to assemble the International Space Station. EVA training in these suits, which weigh about 220 pounds each, is an intense physical challenge. As NASA Astronaut Dr. Andy Thomas, currently training for his first EVA mission, puts it, "You learn not to fight the suit." Retired astronaut Mike Mullane has described the current EVA spacesuit in his book "Do Your Ears Pop in Space?" as "an inflatable tire. It holds a force of 4.3 psi. That may not sound like much, but it's enough to rigidize the stiff material that makes up a spacesuit to the consistency of steel." These suits have the potential to tear or rip, as well as requiring a cooling undergarment to be worn next to the skin, in order for body temperature to be regulated.
MCP technology appears to offer a number of advantages over the existing EVA suit. Says Waldie, "To protect astronauts from the vacuum of space, MCP suits substitute gas pressure with elastic compression, or mechanical pressure. The suit is comprised of different skin-tight layers, the outermost being a powerful elastic leotard capable of exerting the same pressure on the body as current space suits (about 1/3 atmospheric pressure). Only the head and part of the torso will be pressurized with breathing oxygen. Such an elastic suit would be light and provide vast improvements in flexibility and size. As rips or tears would remain a localized defect, MCP garments are also inherently safe. Furthermore, the porous nature of the materials enables perspiration to occur naturally - this means that cooling equipment is redundant." The MCP suit will be perfect for exploration of the lunar and Mars' surfaces, due to its increased flexibility and reduced bulk. It will also make carrying out an EVA easier for astronauts.
UCSD is currently conducting research using a MCP glove, to find out the optimal pressure which should be applied so as not to restrict blood flow in space. Their pilot studies show that the correct skin pressure is critical to maintaining normal blood flow in skin tissue. If the glove is too tight, then blood flow is severely restricted; however a glove that is not tight enough actually increases blood flow by up to 500%. They are also studying skin temperature, tissue oxygenation, limb girth changes and heart rate/pressure.
Waldie is excited at the possibilities his research is opening up. "My development of the pingvin suit will hopefully provide a comfortable and effective countermeasure to the debilitating effects of weightlessness for long duration missions. I also hope that the MCP suit will be used to assist Moon and Mars explorers." However, his fascination with space is not limited to spacesuit design.
"Space has always interested me. Many people regard the Earth as the whole world, but I view it is as just our 'crib' to exploring the solar system. I'm particularly interested in the incredible diversity of moons we have. Worlds such as Europa, with a 100km deep liquid water ocean, Io, the most volcanic surface in our solar system and Titan, which still hides its secrets in a thick atmosphere, hopefully to be unraveled soon by the Huygens probe. On the other side of our thin and transparent atmosphere is a vast and richly wondrous cosmos, which we are only just discovering through amazing technical achievements. I feel, then, that the manned and unmanned exploration of space is a truly pioneering industry, from both a human endeavour and engineering standpoint."
On a personal level, Waldie would like to branch off into interplanetary science, as he is particularly interested in "our celestial planets and moons. It would be nice for all my studies to combine into an opportunity to explore the moon and/or Mars one day!"
He'd also like to see his suit eventually worn by Dr. Andy Thomas, as the only Australian-born astronaut currently involved in the U.S. space program. "Absolutely. In addition, suits for Australian astronauts will have a beer can holder sewn into the hip and corks floating around the helmet!"
Waldie is passionate about the importance of space research, as "it is imperative that humans learn about our surroundings so that we can manage our environment and live efficiently and prosperously in the future. Space is simply an extension of that philosophy in this time of extreme technological advancement. In the present context, though, space also offers the opportunity to conduct unique research to benefit our society. It's an endless resource for the human race and we need to learn more about it, and how it can help us."
His research into the Pingvin suit may have direct application here on Earth. For example, a version known as the Adeli suit has been modified to help children with neurological disorders. The suit - which can be modified and used to reverse some effects of fluid shifts to the upper body - could also be of benefit to some stroke victims.
Waldie's work to date has not gone unrecognised. Former astronaut Paul Scully-Power, now head of the Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority, has been complimentary about this "amazing young man". "From personal experience it's very hard to break into the American system and I think it's just fantastic." Young people interested in following in Waldie's footsteps should however note that while he receives some Australian corporate funding, he doesn't receive any money from NASA as an Australian citizen. In fact, Waldie worked as a hotel porter for six months to allow him to undertake the research at UCSD, highlighting his commitment to his work and long-term goals.
The results of Waldie's research may just help make life in space a little more comfortable, and hopefully safer. 'Putting the pressure on' might take on a whole new meaning for the astronaut corps.
Jennifer Laing is a freelance writer based in Melbourne, Australia