The History of Spacesuits

The pressure suit for Project Mercury was designed and first developed during 1959 as a compromise between the requirements for flexibility and adaptability. Learning to live and move within aluminum-coated nylon and rubber garments, pressurized at five pounds per square inch, was like trying to adapt to life within a pneumatic tire. Led by Walter M. Schirra, Jr., the astronauts trained hard to wear the new spacesuits. Ever since 1947, the Air Force and the Navy, by mutual agreement, had specialized in developing partial-pressure and full-pressure flying suits for jet pilots, respectively, but a decade later, neither type was quite satisfactory for the newest definition of extreme altitude protection (space). Such suits required extensive modifications, particularly in their air circulation systems, to meet the needs of the Mercury space pilots. More than 40 experts attended the first spacesuit conference on January 29, 1959. Three primary competitors - the David Clark Company of Worcester, Massachusetts (a prime supplier for Air Force pressure suits), the International Latex Corporation of Dover, Delaware (a bidder on a number of government contracts involving rubberized material), and the B. F. Goodrich Company of Akron, Ohio (suppliers of most of the pressure suits used by the Navy) - competed to provide by the first of June their best spacesuit designs for a series of evaluation tests. Goodrich was finally awarded the prime contract for the Mercury space suit on July 22, 1959. Russell M. Colley, along with Carl F. Effler, D. Ewing, and other Goodrich employees, modified the famous Navy Mark IV pressure suit for NASAs needs in space orbital flight. The design was based on the jet flight suits, with added layers of aluminized Mylar over the neoprene rubber. Pressure suits also were designed individually according to use - some for training, others for evaluation and development. Thirteen operational research suits first were ordered to fit astronauts Schirra and Glenn, their flight surgeon Douglas, the twins Gilbert and Warren J. North, at McDonnell and NASA Headquarters, respectively, and other astronauts and engineers to be specified later. A second order of eight suits represented the final configuration and provided adequate protection for all flight conditions in the Mercury program. The Mercury Project spacesuits were not designed for space walking. Spacewalking suits were first designed for Projects Gemini and Apollo. History of Wardrobes for Space The Mercury spacesuit was a modified version of a U.S. Navy high altitude jet aircraft pressure suit. It consisted of an inner layer of Neoprene-coated nylon fabric and a restraint outer layer of aluminized nylon. Joint mobility at the elbow and knees was provided by simple fabric break lines sewn into the suit; but even with these break lines, it was difficult for a pilot to bend his arms or legs against the force of a pressurized suit. As an elbow or knee joint was bent, the suit joints folded in on themselves reducing suit internal volume and increasing pressure. The Mercury suit was worn soft or unpressurized and served only as a backup for possible spacecraft cabin pressure loss--an event that never happened. Limited pressurized mobility would have been a minor inconvenience in the small Mercury spacecraft cabin. Spacesuit designers followed the U.S. Air Force approach toward greater suit mobility when they began to develop the spacesuit for the two-man Gemini spacecraft. Instead of the fabric-type joints used in the Mercury suit, the Gemini spacesuit had a combination of a pressure bladder and a link-net restraint layer that made the whole suit flexible when pressurized. The gas-tight, man-shaped pressure bladder was made of Neoprene-coated nylon and covered by load bearing link-net woven from Dacron and Teflon cords. The net layer, being slightly smaller than the pressure bladder, reduced the stiffness of the suit when pressurized and served as a sort of structural shell, much like a tire contained the pressure load of the inner tube in the era before tubeless tires. Improved arm and shoulder mobility resulted from the multi-layer design of the Gemini suit. Walking on the Moons surface a quarter million miles away from Earth presented a new set of problems to spacesuit designers. Not only did the Moon explorers spacesuits have to offer protection from jagged rocks and the searing heat of the lunar day, but the suits also had to be flexible enough to permit stooping and bending as Apollo crewmen gathered samples from the Moon, set up scientific data stations at each landing site, and used the lunar rover vehicle, an electric-powered dune buggy, for transportation over the surface of the Moon. The additional hazard of micrometeoroids that constantly pelt the lunar surface from deep space was met with an outer protective layer on the Apollo spacesuit. A backpack portable life support system provided oxygen for breathing, suit pressurization, and ventilation for moonwalks lasting up to 7 hours. Apollo spacesuit mobility was improved over earlier suits by use of bellows-like molded rubber joints at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. Modifications to the suit waist for Apollo 15 through 1 7 missions added flexibility making it easier for crewmen to sit on the lunar rover vehicle. From the skin out, the Apollo A7LB spacesuit began with an astronaut-worn liquid-cooling garment, similar to a pair of long johns with a network of spaghetti-like tubing sewn onto the fabric. Cool water, circulating through the tubing, transferred metabolic heat from the Moon explorers body to the backpack and thence to space. Next came a comfort and donning improvement layer of lightweight nylon, followed by a gas-tight pressure bladder of Neoprene-coated nylon or bellows-like molded joints components, a nylon restraint layer to prevent the bladder from ballooning, a lightweight thermal super insulation of alternating layers of thin Kapton and glass-fiber cloth, several layers of Mylar and spacer material, and finally, protective outer layers of Teflon-coated glass-fiber Beta cloth. Apollo space helmets were formed from high strength polycarbonate and were attached to the spacesuit by a pressure-sealing neck ring. Unlike Mercury and Gemini helmets, which were closely fitted and moved with the crewmans head, the Apollo helmet was fixed and the head was free to move within. While walking on the Moon, Apollo crewmen wore an outer visor assembly over the polycarbonate helmet to shield against eye damaging ultraviolet radiation, and to maintain head and face thermal comfort. Completing the Moon explorers ensembles were lunar gloves and boots, both designed for the rigors of exploring, and the gloves for adjusting sensitive instruments. The lunar surface gloves consisted of integral structural restraint and pressure bladders, molded from casts of the crewmens hands, and covered by multi-layered super insulation for thermal and abrasion protection. Thumb and fingertips were molded of silicone rubber to permit a degree of sensitivity and feel. Pressure-sealing disconnects, similar to the helmet-to-suit connection, attached the gloves to the spacesuit arms. The lunar boot was actually an overshoe that the Apollo lunar explorer slipped on over the integral pressure boot of the spacesuit. The outer layer of the lunar boot was made from metal-woven fabric, except for the ribbed silicone rubber sole; the tongue area was made from Teflon-coated glass-fiber cloth. The boot inner layers were made from Teflon-coated glass-fiber cloth followed by 25 alternating layers of Kapton film and glass-fiber cloth to form an efficient, lightweight thermal insulation. Nine Skylab crewmen manned the Nations first space station for a total of 171 days during 1973 and 1974. They wore simplified versions of the Apollo spacesuit while doing the historic repair of the Skylab and changing film canisters in the solar observatory cameras. Jammed solar panels and the loss of a micrometeoroid shield during the launch of the Skylab orbital workshop necessitated several space walks for freeing the solar panels and for erecting a substitute shield. The spacesuit changes from Apollo to Skylab included a less expensive to manufacture and lightweight thermal micrometeoroid over garment, elimination of the lunar boots, and a simplified and less expensive extravehicular visor assembly over the helmet. The liquid cooling garment was retained from Apollo, but umbilicals and astronaut life support assembly (ALSA) replaced backpacks for life support during space walks. Apollo-type spacesuits were used again in July 1975 when American astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts rendezvoused and docked in Earth orbit in the joint Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP) flight. Because no space walks were planned, U.S. crewmen were equipped with modified A7LB intra-vehicular Apollo spacesuits fitted with a simple cover layer replacing the thermal micrometeoroid layer. Information and Photos provided by NASAModified Extracts from This New Ocean: A History of Project MercuryBy Loyd S. Swenson Jr., James M. Grimwood, and Charles C. Alexander

The Awakening By Kate Chopin - 1479 Words

Kate Chopin’s controversial novel, The Awakening, ignited turmoil because of her blatant disregard of the established 19th century perspective of women upholding strictly maternal and matrimonial responsibilities. Edna’s candid exploration of the restrictions on women through her liberal behavior in a conservative Victorian society makes her a literary symbol for feminist ideals. Despite denunciation from other people, Edna chooses individuality over conformity through her veering from traditional obligations. Edna indulges in her love of art, which is considered to conflict with her expected singular devotion to her household. Exploring her sexuality rather than repressing any sexual awareness constructs her feministic mentality. Edna†¦show more content†¦She raises her children with a distance between them. This void shows Edna’s lack of open wings, which is considered the norm of the 19th century expectations of women. Her newfound acceptance of negle cting her maternal responsibly ignited a much larger awakening within her. A sense of individuality and the â€Å"†¦realiz[ation of] her position in the universe as a human being, and ... her relations as an individual to the world within and about her† grew stronger (Chopin 15). She dislikes her role being entirely centered on domestic responsibilities so she begins to stretch the bindings of society. Edna’s indulgence in art exemplifies the importance she has placed on personal fulfillment, an attribute of feminist ideals. Edna characterizes herself as an artist. This demonstrates her desire to be set free from the familial expectations placed on her. Art represents a freedom of expression. Edna’s association with her artistic passion, not necessarily ability, foreshadows her desire to break free from society’s norms. Edna seeks the guidance of a liberated woman, Mademoiselle Reisz, who is the ideal feminist woman that Edna aspires to be. Reisz connects with her artistic hobbies through music. Her music inspires and provides her with the strength not to live under the maternal expectation. Edna enjoys painting although she does not consider

Reflective Writing for Concepts and Methodologies - myassignmenthelp

Question: Write about theReflective Writingfor Concepts, Tools and Methodologies. Answer: Introduction After completing 12-week learning course, I gathered the complete knowledge of methods suitable for conducting a research. While preparing the assessment 1, the week learning course helped me in designing the research aim, question and objective. Later, I was able to establish the concepts, theories, literature and arguments that were most suitable for conducting the research. The learning course helped me in understanding the research procedure, concepts, tools, methodologies and structure that are extremely necessary for any thesis. According to my opinion, I understood the research methods and chorological steps necessary for research proposal. This course is extremely valuable as not only this has helped me in constructing my research proposal but also this will help me in developing the final research in future. This journal will discuss the experience that I gathered while completing the assessment 1 and 2 in a reflective style. The understandings, happenings, learning process, observations and connections will be discussed for each with. Discussions will be related to both literature review and research proposal, which will discuss my experiences as well. In the 1st week, I gained knowledge regarding the business research and its importance. I have also come to know about various research theories, their practical relevance and appropriate structure. Such knowledge has assisted me in conducting the whole research study. Moreover, I have also learned about several research methodologies for collecting accurate research information. I understood the features and application of qualitative and quantitative data collection method for gathering authentic information in collecting accurate research information. Such knowledge helped in preparing assignment 2, where there was a need to select effective research methods. After gathering the information about business research and research methods, I chose the research topic on challenges in managing global teams. In 2nd week, I have learned about several theories relevant to the topic of the research. The knowledge from such theories has helped me in revealing the exact research problem regarding the research topic. I have also come to know about the concept of global teams and its importance in the success of any business. Such knowledge of global teams will help me to work in such teams in near future. Apart from that, the knowledge and awareness of the global teams has also facilitated me writing a concrete literature review in Assignment 1. In 3rd week, I have written the literature review on the topic of challenges in managing global teams. I have prepared a concrete literature review about the research topic, as it helps in gathering previous literature regarding the research topic. Such detailed and previous literature regarding the research topic will actually contribute to the ultimate result of the research study. Moreover, I have also applied relevant theories regarding the research topic. Such theories assisted me in reaching at effective solutions to the research problems. Moreover, I have also learned about the management of global teams across the countries. Such knowledge will help me in being an effective manager in an international organization. Moreover, I will be better able to manage the global teams across the countries. In 4th week, I have learned about the importance of research questions in gathering useful information about the research topic. I have learned about the importance primary question and secondary question and their contribution in collecting research information. After learning about different types research questions, I framed both primary question and secondary questions for collecting authentic information regarding the research topic. Such research questions assisted me choosing the best approach and methods for collecting research topic. Formation of effective research questions can actually enhance the quality of ultimate research outcome through gathering accurate research information. In this week, I have learned about several types of research methods to be used in gathering relevant information regarding the research topic. Moreover, I have actually learned about the application of both qualitative and quantitative methods in collecting useful research information. Such knowledge will also help me in choosing the best methods for data collection and reaching at accurate research result. The knowledge of different types of research methods will help me in being an effective researcher. I can better apply accurate research methods for relevant research topic in future. In this week, I have done an in-depth analysis on the qualitative method of data collection. I have come to know about several qualitative research tools. Qualitative data is gathered from various ground sources relevant to the research topic. I came to understand that qualitative method can provide detailed information regarding the research topic. I also understood that authenticity of the qualitative data in terms of credibility, dependability and conformability. Therefore, I have selected qualitative approach for collecting authentic information regarding the challenges faced by managers in managing the global teams. In week 7, I was concentrated on selecting appropriate set of sample for conducting qualitative research. Moreover, I understood about the importance of sampling and sample size in this week. This knowledge assisted me in choosing right sample size for collecting accurate information about the research topic. Moreover, this knowledge also facilitated me in choosing the right ways of conducting the research. From the learning of the sampling method, I will be able to perfectly collect the accurate research information. In 8th week, I have selected some respondents for collecting detailed and useful information regarding the topic of the research. Moreover, I arranged interview session with the managers of Cotton On Group. Such interview session provided me with the best organizational specific information regarding their issues in managing global teams. Moreover, the broad knowledge captured through the interview session can actually enhance the quality of the final research result. Furthermore, I have also gather knowledge about the ways of conducting effective interview session. Such knowledge can actually add to my future career, where I can play an effective role of interviewer. By the end of week 9, I was able to understand the types of sampling theories one must use while conducting a research. I got the idea of probability and non-probability sampling technique, sampling size and structured interview. Based on the idea that I gathered, in my assignment 2, I selected 50 respondents from whom data will be gathered and even random sampling will be the most suitable. In week 10, I got the idea of structured observation and content analysis. This week helped me in understanding the structured observation technique and survey method. I got idea that sample selection is the sample selection is related with survey and for that questionnaire should be developed. Also, facts related to reliability and validity were understood. Finally, I got the idea of content analysis and coding schedule. The research questions and were found to be completely related to analysis of content so that justification is provided at the time of discussion. I got the complete idea of secondary analysis and quantitative data analysis. Ideas regarding the benefits of using authentic sources, official statistics and the limitations with secondary analysis was identified. Based on this week, I designed my research literature review where I selected secondary data collection specifically for developing the arguments. I used sources from different sites so that more concrete facts are justified against the research aim. Mostly, I utilized the official statistics so that concepts and theories surrounding the topic are explained with application of real life examples in the assessment 1. In the final week, I got the idea of mixed research technique. Based on the ideas derived from this week, I designed the final research methodology. Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be chosen. This will be helpful in gathering both factual and descriptive data. Factual data will be derived from quantitative findings and descriptive data will be gathered from interview through open ended questions. Finally, I understood that for survey, questionnaire will have to be prepared that will be necessary for distributing to respondents. This week helped me in constructing the research design, approach, data collection and analysis. Conclusion While concluding, it must be said that the learning course helped me in gathering knowledge of research design, data collection, sampling technique, survey and questionnaire, structure and in-depth interview, research approaches and data analysis procedure. In my program, this learning course will help me in finalizing the dissertation. This will be done in real life basis by reaching out to respondents for collecting data. In future, this course will help me while working in an organization. While working as the data analytics manager, I can collect and interpret data for the research aim of an organization, which will eventually help in organizational betterment. Assessment 1 helped me in gathering literature against the research topic and assessment 2 helped me while preparing the proposal. Finally, I must say that without the learning course I would never able to design my literature review and research proposal.

Thanks free essay sample

Thanks Poems are one of the deepest expressions of humans inner vision and feelings, this fact sets poetry as one of the most thought provoking literary genres. An instance of this is a great poem called Thanks by William Stanley Merwin a poet from the twenty century. The makes the reader particularly wander around the real conception of gratefulness. Moreover, this poem contains a strong imagery that provokes in the reader a varied set of strong emotions. In the poem the speaker uses the word thank thirteen times. The over use of the word makes the reader understand that the persona is underestimating the xpression thank you. However, the reader is included in the description because the persona always uses the pronoun we to lead the statement we are saying thank you. Likewise, since the beginning the speaker starts using the word as a clich ©, expressed by everyone but in a hollow way. We will write a custom essay sample on Thanks or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The gratefulness is represented by shallow words rather than by an honest attitude. Even though in the poem the word denotes an expression of kindness and politeness, it appears lacked of meaning. It seems that everyone knows the importance of the word but at the same ime the word is used carelessly, this idea is very clear in the last two verses, we are saying thank you and waving / dark though it is. Thus, the reader can feel a sort of irony and perceive the personas critical tone in the use and misuse of the word thanks. As a reader I could behold carefully the importance of the word thanks not Just as a response to peoples actions but also as a pure expression of human gratitude. Individuals must grasp the real meaning of the expression in order to respond honestly to someones else actions whether they are good or bad. Moreover, I feel disappointment at the moment of reading it because our sloppy way of visualizing life and its little details, responds to the current situation of society. It seems that misconceptions has gone to our core without knowing the real transcendence of words. However, I keep the hope of getting rid of this simplicity that society has taught me regarding the use of words, and develop my sensitivity to the inner connection between my tongue and heart.