Apollo 11 Spacecraft
A
spacesuit that was out of this world
The A7L suit used to protect
Apollo astronauts
The Moon has no atmosphere to support life, absorb solar radiation, or burn up incoming meteoroids, which is why it’s covered in craters
The A7L pressure suits worn by Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin when they took the first steps on the Moon in July 1969 were a remarkable piece of engineering
A suit that allowed an astronaut to leave the lunar module and walk safely on the Moon was equivalent to a miniature spacecraft
A soft Teflon and tricot head cap that held communications equipment and a mouthpiece
Constructed with Chromel-R fabric, thermal insulation, for working in the extremely hot or cold environment of the Moon
Transparent bubble attached to the spacesuit’s neck ring
Only used on the Moon, they were left behind to reduce weight for the journey home
Supplied oxygen, reduced carbon dioxide, provided cooling, and controlled humidity within a spacesuit
Attached to the suit’s neck ring that helped keep the pressure bubble in place
There is no oxygen on the Moon, and temperatures can soar to 212°F (100°C) during the day and plunge to -279°F (-173°C) at night
Each Apollo spacesuit was tailored to fit the astronaut personally and cost an estimated $100,000 (the equivalent of over $690,000 in 2019)
These incredible suits provided all the basic life support and radical protection needed to survive on the unwelcoming Moon
Even though Armstrong and Aldrin only wore their suits for just over two hours
Each suit was designed to be worn for up to 115 hours and provide six hours of life support
Gearing up to go outside the lunar module and walk in this unexplored terrain was a long process. It was six hours after their safe arrival before Armstrong would first step on the Moon.
The first step was to put on a urine collection device and comfort underwear, in case the astronauts had a “bathroom accident”
The next layer was a mesh suit covered in tubes through which cool water was pumped
Then came the suit itself. The inner suit had a layer of nylon for comfort, a neoprene-coated nylon pressure bladder, and a restraint layer to stop the bladder from expanding
This blocked solar radiation and micrometeoroids, which could potentially puncture the suit
With no wind on the Moon, the overshoes will likely be there, along with the footprints they made, for the next million years
Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit was brought back on display at the National Air and Space Museum in July 2019 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11