July 18, 2007 4:00 AM PDT
To get its form-fitting look, MIT's prototype space suit wraps tight layers of stretchy spandex and nylon around the astronaut. That exerts a force on the body and uses mechanical counterpressure to deal with the vacuum of space. By contrast, traditional space suits use gas pressurization, which is part of what gives today's orbital explorers their Michelin Man look; the bulk also stems from multiple layers and the astronaut's life support system. That black section on the back of the BioSuit indicates where an oxygen tank would be carried.
For use in space, the BioSuit must deliver close to one-third the pressure exerted by Earth's atmosphere, or about 30 kPa (kilopascals). That's about 50 percent more than the current prototype can exert consistently, though the researchers say new models have ranged up to between 25 and 30 kPa.
Photo by Donna Coveney/MIT
