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The sign accompanying the Skylab A7LB suit. Note that the sign incorrectly identifies this suit as a training suit for Apollo 9.

The sign reads


Practice Suit worn by Lunar Module Pilot Russell Schweickart in preparation for for the March 3, 1969 Flight of Apollo 9

The basic components of a space suit are an inner pressure garment made of coated nylon covered with insulating layers of aluminum-coated plastic film and glass-fiber cloth. A space suit becomes very rigid when inflated, and careful design is needed to allow a space-suited astronaut some mobility.

The Apollo suits were made more flexible by introducing bellows-like joints. They also had additional layers to withstand the more extreme conditions of walking and working on the Moon. Next to the astronaut's skin was a liquid cooling garment that prevented him from overheating. Around this was the pressure garment, a restraint layer to prevent the suit from ballooning, layers of insulation, and a micrometeorite-production layer, topped with an abrasion-proof outer covering. Helmet and gloves were attached by air-tight rings.


See also the space suit cross section displayed with the suit.

 
Sign accompanying Schweickart's Skylab Training Suit at Wallops Island
Time picture taken Mon Jun 25 10:12:14 2007
Location picture taken Exhibit Gallery
Visitor Center Building
Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center
Wallops Island, Virginia
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