Why are space suits orange?
July 15, 2009 3:37 PM Subscribe
Why are space suits orange?
Just watched the shuttle launch and now I'm curious why nasa changed from white to orange suits for their astronauts?
I know orange is fashionable these days, but..
Thanks!
Just watched the shuttle launch and now I'm curious why nasa changed from white to orange suits for their astronauts?
I know orange is fashionable these days, but..
Thanks!
From here;
Why do the astronauts wear different suits, for liftoff and for spacewalks?
The spacesuit that the astronauts wear during their spacewalks is essentially a one-person spacecraft. It provides a pressurized environment, breathing oxygen, cooling, communication, and protection from micrometeoroids. It would be impossible to wear in a shuttle seat. The orange Launch and Entry Suit (LES) is worn only during launch and entry, and its primary purpose is to protect the crew from loss of cabin pressure during either of those two phases of flight. It will also help to protect the crew from a harsh environment such as fire and smoke, toxic chemicals, or cold ocean water. The orange color would assist rescue crews in finding the astronauts after a bailout.
posted by Effigy2000 at 3:40 PM on July 15, 2009
Why do the astronauts wear different suits, for liftoff and for spacewalks?
The spacesuit that the astronauts wear during their spacewalks is essentially a one-person spacecraft. It provides a pressurized environment, breathing oxygen, cooling, communication, and protection from micrometeoroids. It would be impossible to wear in a shuttle seat. The orange Launch and Entry Suit (LES) is worn only during launch and entry, and its primary purpose is to protect the crew from loss of cabin pressure during either of those two phases of flight. It will also help to protect the crew from a harsh environment such as fire and smoke, toxic chemicals, or cold ocean water. The orange color would assist rescue crews in finding the astronauts after a bailout.
posted by Effigy2000 at 3:40 PM on July 15, 2009
This is from the wikipedia article on the suits:
The suit has a Nomex cover layer in international orange color, instead of silver or white as in previous David Clark suits. The orange color allows rescue units to easily spot the astronauts in the case of an Orbiter bailout over the ocean.
posted by chrisalbon at 3:41 PM on July 15, 2009
The suit has a Nomex cover layer in international orange color, instead of silver or white as in previous David Clark suits. The orange color allows rescue units to easily spot the astronauts in the case of an Orbiter bailout over the ocean.
posted by chrisalbon at 3:41 PM on July 15, 2009
It is the same reason Schneider National paints all their trucks that same shade of orange... to stand out.
posted by chrisalbon at 3:45 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by chrisalbon at 3:45 PM on July 15, 2009
So, there's international orange, Safety orange, but what about good 'ole American Huntin' orange?
The visibility argument makes sense, though I also find it odd that orange is considered an international color. That sort of implies that each country had their own color. There are a few images of Gagarin in red, and I guess Americans had white. Were there other colors too?
posted by scrutiny at 4:12 PM on July 15, 2009
The visibility argument makes sense, though I also find it odd that orange is considered an international color. That sort of implies that each country had their own color. There are a few images of Gagarin in red, and I guess Americans had white. Were there other colors too?
posted by scrutiny at 4:12 PM on July 15, 2009
Yes - international orange, just like the Golden Gate Bridge.
posted by jabberjaw at 5:13 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by jabberjaw at 5:13 PM on July 15, 2009
I'm curious why nasa changed from white to orange suits for their astronauts?
Pretty sure this change happened in response to the Challenger accident, as I don't remember seeing orange suits before then. Search & Rescue looking for white blobs on a wind-whipped ocean is pretty hard I would suspect.
posted by @troy at 5:19 PM on July 15, 2009
Pretty sure this change happened in response to the Challenger accident, as I don't remember seeing orange suits before then. Search & Rescue looking for white blobs on a wind-whipped ocean is pretty hard I would suspect.
posted by @troy at 5:19 PM on July 15, 2009
@troy, even worse, astronauts wore simple blue overalls during launch before the Challenger accident. They did wear brownish-orange pressure suits during the first few launches, but they changed for some reason. Probably having to do with presenting the image of space flight on the shuttle being a routine, casual thing. So much for that.
posted by zsazsa at 5:30 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by zsazsa at 5:30 PM on July 15, 2009
I learned in a few water survival classes that orange is used for life vests because it is one of the most visible colors. Although hot pink and a few other "neon" colors are more visible, their colors will fade much more rapidly than orange. Something to do with the binding agents.
posted by Yorrick at 6:39 PM on July 15, 2009
posted by Yorrick at 6:39 PM on July 15, 2009
Were there other colors too?
Mercury and Gemini space suits were silver.
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:12 PM on July 15, 2009
Mercury and Gemini space suits were silver.
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:12 PM on July 15, 2009
Best answer: I also find it odd that orange is considered an international color. That sort of implies that each country had their own color.
I introduce you to the International Color Consortium, which seems to be the people who define international orange, and in turn defining an ISO standard.
Safety/blaze orange may have an original derivation from US regulations that predate the international standard.
The reason there were spacesuits on the first couple of flights (STS-1 through STS-4) was that Columbia was outfitted with ejector seats, and the astronauts needed them if the ejection occurred at altitude. After that, shuttles flew without any safety equipment. If they could not achieve any of the available abort modes, which ranged from Return to Launch Site, through Transoceanic Abort Landing, then Abort Once Around, and finally Abort to Orbit (used once, for STS-93), the shuttle was plumb out of luck -- in NASA parlance, a Bad Day. There was no other contingency. Ditching was discussed but I believe the consensus was that it would destroy the orbiter, or the orbiter would simply sink.
Post-Challenger, following the recommendations of the Rogers Commission, NASA developed the crew escape system. The pilot would attempt level flight at a safe altitude, and the astronauts would use a rail system similar to parachute equipment to jump out of the hatch. The orange suits are in fact called since 1995 the Advanced Crew Escape Suits.
The Russian equivalents, btw, are the Sokol, used on the Soyuz, and the Orlan, used for EVAs. Which EVA suit is used aboard ISS depends, I believe, on who the mission commander is. The Soyuz is not designed for water landings and its suit is basically white.
posted by dhartung at 10:12 PM on July 15, 2009 [4 favorites]
I introduce you to the International Color Consortium, which seems to be the people who define international orange, and in turn defining an ISO standard.
Safety/blaze orange may have an original derivation from US regulations that predate the international standard.
The reason there were spacesuits on the first couple of flights (STS-1 through STS-4) was that Columbia was outfitted with ejector seats, and the astronauts needed them if the ejection occurred at altitude. After that, shuttles flew without any safety equipment. If they could not achieve any of the available abort modes, which ranged from Return to Launch Site, through Transoceanic Abort Landing, then Abort Once Around, and finally Abort to Orbit (used once, for STS-93), the shuttle was plumb out of luck -- in NASA parlance, a Bad Day. There was no other contingency. Ditching was discussed but I believe the consensus was that it would destroy the orbiter, or the orbiter would simply sink.
Post-Challenger, following the recommendations of the Rogers Commission, NASA developed the crew escape system. The pilot would attempt level flight at a safe altitude, and the astronauts would use a rail system similar to parachute equipment to jump out of the hatch. The orange suits are in fact called since 1995 the Advanced Crew Escape Suits.
The Russian equivalents, btw, are the Sokol, used on the Soyuz, and the Orlan, used for EVAs. Which EVA suit is used aboard ISS depends, I believe, on who the mission commander is. The Soyuz is not designed for water landings and its suit is basically white.
posted by dhartung at 10:12 PM on July 15, 2009 [4 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
International orange is a color used to set things apart from their surroundings.
posted by chrisalbon at 3:38 PM on July 15, 2009