Table of Contents

Suiting Up for a Spacewalk

On Earth, we all put on our clothes the same way... one pant leg at a time! But how do astronauts get dressed for a spacewalk?

They have to put everything on in a very specific order because they use lots of layers and interlocking pieces.

The first article that goes on is a device that collects and stores urine until it’s ready to be transferred to the orbiter waste management system.

What’s next? Something that appears to be a pair of long underwear with tubes. It’s the liquid cooling and ventilation garment (LCVG). This garment is used to keep the astronaut cool while they’re working with the suit on.

The pants are put on next and they get pulled up to the waist. Once these are on, the astronaut has to climb into the top part of the suit which is hanging on the wall of the airlock. To get into it, the astronaut has to raise his arms into the top half and squeeze his head past the neck seal.

 

Once in, the plastic tubing of the LCVG is connected to the primary life support system, and the connections for the medical monitors are also attached. The upper and lower torso parts are then locked together.

 

Next: the Snoopy Cap! This headgear serves as a communication system between the astronaut, the people in the spacecraft, and the people in mission control. The helmet and gloves are then connected to the suit and the astronaut is suited up!

 

It takes only about 15 minutes to get all of this gear on, but it actually takes approximately two hours and 20 minutes to get ready for an EVA.

Read more about suiting up and preparing for an EVA.