This is a United States Navy Mark IV pressure suit like the ones that Navy pilots used in the 1950s and 1960s. B. F. Goodrich manufactured the suit and supplied copies to NASA when the space agency was preparing to launch humans into space. NASA used modified Mark IVs as spacesuits for the first Mercury astronauts. It is unclear whether NASA performed tests on this particular suit or used it only for evaluation. We do not know if the suit came with its own helmet, or if NASA used other helmets interchangeably with this suit. This suit came with a matching pair of gloves.

NASA transferred the suit to the museum after there was no longer a use for the suit in the 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-Pressure Suits

Manufacturer

B. F. Goodrich Co.

Dimensions

Overall: 22.86 x 88.9 x 167.64cm (9in. x 2ft 11in. x 5ft 6in.)

Materials

Neck ring - aluminum
Overall - brass, ht-1 nomex, Steel, phenolic resin, aluminum, neoprene-coated nylon, rubber (silicone)

Inventory Number

A19710782000

Credit Line

Transferred from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Data Source

National Air and Space Museum

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply
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