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In the frame of the development of the European EVA Suit, a complete trade-off was conducted to select the lower torso architecture. This study, performed under an ESA contract, included a formal trade-off dealing with all cost and programmatic impacts together with a technical assessment based on man rated underwater evaluations and analysis. The candidate architectures were: the European baseline including 2 hip and 2 thigh bearings, the Russian like soft ORLAN-DMA, a soft lower torso including 2 thigh bearings and another soft one including 2 calf bearings. The idea was to compare the different design performances without having necessarily developed the 4 pressurized lower torsos and then also to gain experience on predicting methods for such ergonomic/kinematic studies. The trade-off was based on the manned underwater evaluation of ergonomical suit simulators (wet suit concept), supported by the 1-g pressurized evaluation of the Russian ORLAN-DMA and CAD-CAM kinematic analysis.

This paper synthesizes the shoulder joint development activities performed in the frame of the European EVA Space Suit System (ESSS) programme. The shoulder joint belongs to the anthropomorphic enclosure encompassing the crewmember, protecting him against space environment while ensuring him adequate mobility, dexterity and visibility. A conceptual trade-off selected two candidates likely to fulfil the stringent shoulder joint requirements: an all-soft joint and a hybrid “rolling convolute”. Representative pressurized breadboards were designed, manufactured and tested. The tests addressed both intrinsic performance, via torque/flexion hysteresis curves and ergonomic characteristics via a “man in the loop” evaluation, involving a suit demonstrator. Tests results completed the trade-off, thus enabling the industrial team to formulate recommendations and propose further development studies.

The technology development work carried out within the framework of the European EVA System predevelopment activities and complemented with additional analyses and trades have resulted in an improved technical reference concept for the preparation of the Phase C/D activities. The results of the technology breadboard model testing have been used to verify or alter the overall space suit design concept.

The paper describes the effort carried out in Europe for the design and development of an EVA Suit Enclosure Module (ESEM) operating at 500 hPa, within the frame of the development studies of the Hermes Spaceplane EVA System. The general ESEM design is supported by four technology studies each one focused on a breadboard manufacturing and testing. A glove breadboard is fully tested in a dedicated glove box; The bending performances of the rolling convolute shoulder joint breadboard are assessed through mechanical tests; A material screening is performed leading to an arm thermal protection and an elbow soft joint respectively thermally and mechanically tested; A demonstration of the biomedical section is performed. All these technology programs and a general definition study conclude to a definition of the ESEM flight model described in the paper.

The paper describes the results of the efforts carried out in Europe for the definition, design and development of an EVA Suit Enclosure Module (ESEM) operating at 500 hPa, within the frame of the development studies for the Hermes Spaceplane EVA System. The assessment of the main performance requirements of the ESEM has been supported by the results of previous EVA System Studies and by experimental activities. These activities included: tests with an ergonomic test bench for the definition of the entry concept and the main geometrical parameters of the Hard Upper Torso (HUT), soft materials thermal and mechanical characteristics evaluation, preliminary components tests. Following the results of the experimentation and knowing the lessons learned from the OS and USSR EVA experience, a preliminary design concept for the future ESEM was established.