[ Music ]
>> NASA, the National
Aeronautics
and Space Administration
presents Aeronautics
and Space Report.
[ Music ]
[Music] This is where
the suits worn
by Apollo astronauts are sewn,
cemented, assembled, and tested.
ILC industries in Dover,
Delaware is where they
put it all together.
Arms, legs, torso,
boots, the end product,
an incredibly reliable custom
tailored hand assembled life
support system, a space suit.
The initial measurements taken
at NASA's manned
spacecraft center
in Houston are the first step.
>> When an astronaut is assigned
to a particular flight
many measurements are taken
of his body approximately 60.
It takes three months from the
time we have his measurements
until we do have a
spacesuit built for him,
and there's a formula involved
to give the man maximum mobility
in a confinement of you might
say a pressurized balloon.
It is in this production
room that the balloon
like inner suit called
the bladder is assembled.
Individual parts
move on a schedule
that brings all the
pieces together
into an integrated space suit.
Meanwhile, on the second floor
of the plant the white
outer suit consisting
of 17 layers is cut
out and assembled.
These include a layer of woven
Teflon to provide resistance
to abrasions, a layer of fire
retardant fiberglass called beta
clock, and a series of
nylon restraints to hold
in the inner suit, like
the skin of a football.
So close to the tolerances
that if a part is cut out
and doesn't match
the pattern by a 32nd
of an inch, it must be recut.
Gloves must fit so
perfectly that they are made
from plaster casts of
the astronauts hands.
It takes 160 hours
to make a single pair
of molds, and gloves.
During qualification
testing suits are subjected
to 10 times the design
requirements of a lunar mission.
Another critical area
are the pressure tests.
To be accepted a spacesuit must
have practically zero leakage
when pressurized.
Each of the prime crewmen
on an Apollo mission
has three suits made,
a training suit used till the
day of launch, a flight suit,
and one that serves as a backup.
The last stop is
called the fit check.
Here Astronaut Charles M.
Duke, Lunar Module Pilot
for the upcoming Apollo 16 moon
landing next March tries on one
of his suits for
size and comfort.
>> Okay, sir.
You're at advanced pressure.
You want to stay there?
>> Yeah, let me work
it out a little bit.
>> The fifth check
is done in two parts.
First, the inner suit is worn.
Adjustments are made and later
in the day the astronaut dawns
the two pieces now put together
as one totally integrated suit.
It is here that the suit is
finally accepted or sent back
for additional changes.
We asked Astronaut Duke
to comment on his suits.
>> Yeah, it's a good fit.
Both my suits have
an excellent fit,
so we haven't had
any trouble at all.
This is my second time
or actually a third time.
I have a training suit,
and then two flight suits.
One spare, and one prime suit.
Both flight suits just
fit exceptionally well.
Real pleased.
>> [Music] Like a jigsaw puzzle
the pieces forming a garment
that the astronauts
can wear with comfort
and confidence are
brought together.
A garment that serves as a
small scale earth environment
in the hostile airless
environment of space.
