Orlan space suit
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
An Orlan space suit is a space suit in a series of semi-rigid space suit models designed and built by NPP Zvezda. They have been used for extra-vehicular activity (EVA), also called spacewalks, in the Soviet space program, the Russian space program, and by space programs of other countries, including NASA.[1][2][3] The Orlan series is named for the Russian word for 'sea eagle', Орлан.
Contents |
[edit] Design
The Orlan space suit has gone through several models. Designations include the Orlan-D, Orlan-DM, Orlan-DMA, and Orlan-M (models used in space), and Orlan-GN, Orlan-T, and Orlan-V (used in training).[4][5]
The original Orlan suit, with a two and a half hour operation time, was designed for use on the Moon as part of the Soviet Lunar programme, although it was abandoned in favour of a model with a greater operating capacity. The Orlan-D expanded the operation time to three hours; the Orlan-DM to nine hours.
The Orlan space suit is semi-rigid, that is, it has a solid torso and helmet but flexible arms.[6] It was designed with a rear hatch entry through the attached backpack that allows it to be donned relatively quickly (taking approximately five minutes). The first Orlan suits were attached to the spacecraft by an umbilical tether that supplied power and communications links. The Orlan-DM, and all models since, were designed to be self-sustaining.
[edit] History
The first spacewalk using an Orlan suit took place on December 20, 1977, on the Soviet space station Salyut 6, during the Soyuz 26 mission. Yuri Romanenko and Georgi Grechko tested the Orlan-D space suit. The Orlan-DM was used for the first time on August 2, 1985, by the cosmonauts Vladimir Dzhanibekov and Viktor Savinykh of Salyut 7.
The Orlan space suits were used for spacewalks on the Salyut stations, but for Mir they were replaced by the Orlan-DMA and Orlan-M suits: the Orlan-DMA was first tested on January 26, 1990, by Alexander Viktorenko and Aleksandr Serebrov, and the Orlan-M on April 29, 1997, by Vasili Tsibliyev and Jerry M. Linenger. The Orlan-M continued to be used on Mir until the end of the station's operational life, and is now used on the International Space Station. Orlan space suits have been used by Russian, American, and European astronauts.
On February 3, 2006, a retired Orlan fitted with a radio transmitter, dubbed SuitSat-1, was launched into orbit from the International Space Station.[7][8][9]
[edit] Training
Orlan suits are used in the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonauts Training Center in Star City, Moscow: the Orlan-GN for water immersion training, the Orlan-T for airlock procedure training, and the Orlan-V for low gravity flight training.
[edit] See also
- Space suit
- Sokol space suit
- Manned Maneuvering Unit
- List of spacewalks
- List of Mir spacewalks
- List of ISS spacewalks
- List of spacewalks and moonwalks
- List of cumulative spacewalk records
[edit] References
- ^ NASA (1997). NASA Press Briefing. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved on November 8, 2007.
- ^ ESA (2004). Orlan spacesuit. European Space Agency. Retrieved on November 8, 2007.
- ^ Encyclopedia Astronautica (2007). Orlan Space Suit. Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved on November 8, 2007.
- ^ NPO InterCoS (2007). Zvezda's Museum and Spacesuit Photo Report. NPO International Cooperation in Space. Retrieved on November 8, 2007.
- ^ Jonathan McDowell (2000). The History of Spaceflight Chapter 7.2: Zvezda Orlan spacesuits. Retrieved on November 8, 2007.
- ^ JSC RD&PE "Zvezda". Space Suits. JSC RD&PE "Zvezda", Russia. Retrieved on November 8, 2007.
- ^ Tariq Malik (2006). So Long, SuitSat: Astronauts Launch Spacesuit in ISS Spacewalk. Space.com. Retrieved on November 8, 2007.
- ^ Robert Z. Pearlman for CollectSpace.com (2006). Orlan Overboard: The Suit Behind the Sat. Space.com. Retrieved on November 8, 2007.
- ^ Space Today Online (2006). Suitsat: An empty spacesuit broadcasting to Earth. Space Today Online. Retrieved on November 8, 2007.
[edit] External links
|
|||||||||||||||||||
