STS-129 Behind the Scenes: How to Put on the “Pumpkin Suit”

NASA has been creating some behind-the-scenes videos as the STS-129 crew prepares for their upcoming mission to the International Space Station. Astronaut Mike Massimino, of the HST servicing mission fame, hosts and records the videos, and this one is pretty interesting: what it takes to put on the orange launch and entry suits, also known as the Pumpkin Suits. It’s not just the suit itself, but several layers of necessary garments underneath that make suiting up a chore, especially in the microgravity environment of space. Here, commander of STS-129, Charlie Hobaugh (a.k.a. “Scorch”) practices putting on the Pumpkin Suit. You’ll also get to see how the astronauts make their drinks on the space shuttle. Check out the other “behind-the-scenes” videos on the NASATelevision You Tube site; they’ll be adding more as preparations for the flight continues. Launch is currently scheduled for Nov. 16 at 2:28 p.m. EST.