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Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!tektronix!tekecs!davidl
From: davidl@tekecs.UUCP (David Levine)
Newsgroups: net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Niven's space suits
Message-ID: <1963@tekecs.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 29-Aug-83 13:44:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: tekecs.1963
Posted: Mon Aug 29 13:44:17 1983
Date-Received: Tue, 30-Aug-83 22:46:46 EDT
References: sri-arpa.4531
Lines: 18

The "Belter Skintight" space suit was invented and tested in the early days of
the American space program.  It was made of a tough knit fabric which supplied
the wearer's own skin with sufficient support to withstand the internal
pressure aginst vacuum, and provided a built-in temperature control system
using the wearer's sweat evaporating through the suit.  It was fitted using a
measuring device like a giant paper comb and required custom-made pads to fill
the body's hollows (armpits and crotch) where the suit couldn't fit close
enough.  This suit was tested in vacuum chambers and was found to give
comparable protection and superior mobility compared to the multi-layer
pressure suits used today.  Why was it not used?  I don't recall exactly, but I
think it was political.

This information comes from a science fact article by Jerry Pournelle in
Destinies magazine/book about two (??) years ago.  Dr. Pournelle, if you read
this, could you post any new information to the net?

  -- David D. Levine   (...decvax!tektronix!tekecs!davidl)      [UUCP]
                       (...tekecs!davidl.tektronix@rand-relay)  [ARPA]