Why NASA's Next Space Suits are not Pressurized to 14.7psi - Smarter Every Day 296

higher suit pressure

NASA is testing higher suit pressures to reduce the lengthy "pre-breathe" time astronauts need to avoid decompression sickness. The goal is to get closer to the Apollo/Skylab era's 5 psi habitat pressure, allowing for more time on the lunar surface.

• 🚀 The current ISS habitat is 14.7 psi, requiring 3.5 hours of pre-breathe for a 4.3 psi suit EVA.
• 🌕 Apollo and Skylab used 5 psi habitats, enabling "zero pre-breathe" EVAs.
• 🔥 Higher oxygen environments (like 5 psi) increase fire hazards, a key trade-off.
• ⚙️ The new XEMU suit is designed to handle pressures up to 8.2 psi.
• 🏊 Neutral buoyancy labs simulate 1/6th gravity by carefully balancing center of gravity and buoyancy.

A split image showing a pressure gauge and a rocket on the moon, with arrows indicating a connection.