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Spacesuit

A spacesuit is a complex system of garments, equipment, and environmental systems designed to keep a person alive and comfortable in the harsh environment of outer space. This applies to extra-vehicular activity outside spacecraft orbiting Earth and has applied to walking, and riding the Lunar Rover, on the Moon.

It has to provide pressure (like the air pressure on Earth), oxygen and temperature regulation (in fact cooling).

There are three theoretical approaches:

Related preceding technologies include the gas mask used in WWII, the oxygen mask used by pilots of high flying bombers in WWII, the high altitude or vacuum suit required by pilots of the Lockheed U-2 and SR-71 Blackbird, the diving suit, scuba diving gear and many others. It is a very complicated task to provide an Earthlike comfortable environment to people traveling and working in harsh alien environments such as orbit or the lunar surface.

Specific suit models of historical significance.

See also manned maneuvering unit.