NASA is using 35 year old spacesuits

[IDemo]

that were apparently designed when Skylab was still in orbit. While it's nice that they have for the most part done the job, the near drowning of an astronaut during a recent spacewalk makes me think it may be time for some new wardrobe.

NASA's Mission Control has revealed the problem that prompted the early end of the latest spacewalk: Water in one of the astronaut's 35-year-old spacesuits.

Expedition 38 Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio and fellow astronaut Michael Hopkins ran into trouble while they were conducting an urgent repair outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk that lasted five hours and 28 minutes.

The spacewalk ended short of its anticipated six-and-a-half-hour time frame when Mastracchio, the lead spacewalker, began complaining about chilly temperatures in his space suit.

The seven-time spacewalker said his feet were cold during at least part of the nearly five-and-a-half-hour walk and at times had to re-adjust temperature controls in his suit.

http://news.yahoo.com/water-ageing-spacesuit-caused-problems-astronaut-191056384--abc-news-topstories.html

[hobbit709]

1. That's because our space program has turned to shit.

Budget cuts for everything but our bloated military.
We don't even have any manned launch vehicles any more.

[hootinholler]

2. Just saw that on TV

I thought it was bad riding a submarine built before I was born, but at least it is made of steel, not fabrics.

Think of how much clumsyness could have been removed from the suits if they had held progression.

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. I thought 25 years were their limit with maintaince

I think the Russian suits are used 14 times and then must be discarded.

Each of the designs be it Russian or US have their plus and minus points.

[jberryhill]

4. It's like a black cocktail dress

It just never went out of style.

[jimlup]

5. Apparently during the most recent "emergency" spacewalk...

One of the suits failed to keep one of the astronaut's feet warm during the night cycle. This is potentially yet another serious problem with the suits.

Time for an upgrade!