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This Liquid Cooling Garment was worn by astronaut Alan Shepard, Commander of the Apollo 14 mission, which was the third manned mission to land on the Moon in 1971.

Liquid Cooling Garments were worn by the Apollo astronauts underneath their spacesuit, and were designed to keep the astronaut's body temperature within normal ranges by allowing cool water to circulate through the tubes.

The water was kept at body temperature and circulated throughout the personal life support system (PLSS) through the water connectors on the front of the spacesuit and into the liquid cooling garment beneath. The body-warmed water was pumped out through the spacesuit and back into the PLSS for cooling.

NASA transferred this cooling garment to the museum after the Apollo program.

Display Status

This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.

Object Details

Country of Origin

United States of America

Type

PERSONAL EQUIPMENT-Undergarments

Astronaut

Alan B. Shepard Jr.

Dimensions

Approximate: 10.16 x 162.56 x 57.15cm (4in. x 5ft 4in. x 1ft 10 1/2in.)

Materials

Liner: Nylon
Exterior: Polyester mesh, nylon zipper, cotton feet
Tubing: PVC

Inventory Number

A19720581000

Credit Line

Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Data Source

National Air and Space Museum

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use.