…and an interesting one, at the New York Times.
What it doesn’t describe is the lack of innovation since Apollo, like NASA at large, because there wasn’t any competition, even within NASA. It’s nice to hear the history from Joe Kosmo (what an appropriate name — the only thing better would be if it were spelled instead with a “C”), but there is no mention or interview with Vic Vikukal or Bruce Webbon (with whom I reacquainted myself, after a quarter of a century, a couple of months ago in Las Cruces) who worked at Ames, who were shut out of the competition in the sixties, and never allowed back in, despite their superior suit designs. This issue was the primary reason that I suggested the first MillenniumCentennial Challenge, which turned out to be quite successful. There are still a lot of improvements to be made, though, if only NASA would allow it to happen.
I think you mean “Centennial Challenge.”
There was also the Low-Cost Spacesuit Challenge, which made it all the way into a White House budget request. Unfortunately, that was the year Griffin put a hit out on Centennial Challenges and the Senate decided to kill it. (I also recommended reinstating the prize in response to the Cenntennial Challenges request for ideas last fall.)
One of the ITAR reforms I hope comes out of the recent efforts is some relief for companies like Orbital Outfitters. They’ve said they’re losing money from not being allowed to sell their suits to the foreigners.
Trent, I find that comment rather odd. First, Orbital Outfitters has been somewhat adamant that they don’t want to sell suits — they prefer to rent. Second, I can’t figure out what “foreigners” would be customers at the present time. The Russian Space Agency certainly would not buy US suits, and China is not a significant market with its one flight every 18 months (and they’d probably prefer to develop suits domestically, too).
Jeff Feige was on The Space Show, May 2008. He specifically said he had international interest but ITAR was preventing him from selling suits. XCOR has already bought a bunch of suits from him (not rented, I have no idea where you got that nonsense from).
Cannot speak to the 60’s (before my time), but Vikukal was certainly not frozen out of the design competitions in the 80’s (for what was then Space Station Freedom). His AX-5 Hard suit was in consideration. Neither it nor any other design was selected because an advanced suit was not built due to budget restrictions.
However his reduced torque bearing designs were eventually incorporated into an upgrade to the Shuttle EMU that is used on the ISS today.
While I know the article was about space suits, I think they could’ve mentioned pioneering aviator Wiley Post’s historic suit designed in 1934. He discovered the jet stream while wearing that suit. His may have been the first pressure suit used in flight.
Trent said: “Jeff Feige was on The Space Show, May 2008. He specifically said he had international interest but ITAR was preventing him from selling suits. XCOR has already bought a bunch of suits from him (not rented, I have no idea where you got that nonsense from).”
Rick Tumlinson said in an Alan Boyle interview:
“The first suits will be custom-built for suborbital test pilots. “We’re leasing, not selling,” Tumlinson said. A typical lease for a crew suit might run for six months or 100 flights, for tens of thousands of dollars over the term. The passenger version of the suit probably won’t have as much mobility, and would be leased on a one-time basis for thousands of dollars, Tumlinson said. (That cost would likely be rolled into the flight operator’s package cost.)”
Gary, as much as I love Rick, I’m gunna take the word of the CEO of the company 😉
Rick Tumlinson, as quoted by Gary Hudson, is correct. The deal between XCOR and OO is to rent, not purchase suits. Participants will be measured before flight and the suit for that particular participant will be provided by OO to XCOR for the duration. The participant will likely be given the option of buying the suit as a memento, but otherwise it goes back to OO and is available to become the next suit for the next participant. This means that XCOR will not need to stock suits to fit all size participants, and it is up to the capitalists at OO to make size and shape changes in the best manner.
Trent, my “nonsense” comes from numerous conversations with Jeff Fiege, going back to the very start of the company. (I was the one who suggested the name.)
When did XCOR take delivery of those spacesuits? They didn’t have them when I was there last month. And why are you the only one who knows about them?
Where do you get your nonsense? It looks like you’ve got a prime supplier. 🙂
Ed, I just told you were I got it.
Yes, I know what you said — but I also know Jeff, and I’m very sure he never told you that Orbital Outfitters is selling suits.
Why are you being so pigheaded when you are so clearly wrong? Are you subbing for Mark Whittington while he’s on vacation? 🙂
I’m very sure he never told you that Orbital Outfitters is selling suits
Ya know it’s recorded right?
Just because they’ve decided renting suits to XCOR for flight participants makes more sense, doesn’t mean they’re not willing or interested in selling suits. I’m sure that if you were to contact Orbital Outfitters you’d discover they’re happy to sell you one. Just make sure you’re an American citizen.
Here it is: http://archive.thespaceshow.com/shows/938-BWB-2008-05-04.mp3
40 minutes in Jeff says, AND I QUOTE “As a primary means of doing business [renting] is certainly what’s in place. I mean, we arnt in the place where if someone says ‘no I *really* really want to buy them’ that we’re not open to negotiating and coming to an agreement.”
Now please, go listen to the episode and educate yourself.
There are Mercury suits like the one worn by Scott Carpenter, the fourth American in space, its iconic reflective coating coming off in spots.
Heh. I had a Mercury suit for my G.I. Joe when I was a kid and the foil covering also wore off in spots.