Technical Paper
Assessment of the Atmospheric Parameters of the Space Craft and Space Suit Ensuring Decompression Safety During Episodic Extra-Vehicular Activity
1996-07-01
961419
The report presents the values of supersaturation ratio expected during space flights in chart form, covering the range 400-950 mm Hg of total atmospheric pressure and 150-400 mm Hg final space suit pressure. These charts allow users to rapidly find decompression risk received in the most critical decompression protocols for extravehicular activity either in nominal situations or during emergency activity. Decompression safety transfer to the reduced pressure has been established as a result of long-standing man rated tests during two decades. Tests aimed at selecting decompression-safe protocols for transition from a hypobaric normoxic environment to reduced pressure. Experimental data is discussed and some protocols for safe transition to reduced pressure are recommended.