Testing of the new "Orlan-MKS" spacesuit will take place next week aboard the International Space Station. This was announced by TASS special correspondent, cosmonaut Sergey Kud-Sverchkov.
What is known about the "Orlan-MKS" spacesuit
"Orlan-MKS" is a Russian fifth-generation spacesuit for extravehicular activity, developed by NPP "Zvezda". It is a fully autonomous mini-ship, equipped with a built-in computer and modern life support systems. The spacesuit weighs about 110 kilograms, the working pressure inside is 0.4 atmospheres (almost pure oxygen). Instead of rubber hermetic shells, the new model uses polyurethane ones, which increases its service life. The spacesuit is equipped with an automatic thermoregulation system, a kind of climate control that maintains a comfortable temperature itself. The built-in computer with an LCD display allows monitoring all systems. The resource of the new "Orlan" is 20 spacewalks over five years (the previous model had 15 spacewalks over four years).
History of creation
The "Orlan" family originated in the Soviet lunar program of the 1960s. At that time, NPP "Zvezda" specialists created a fundamentally new semi-rigid spacesuit design: the helmet was connected to a rigid torso-cuirass, and entry was made through a back hatch. The first "Orlan-D" model went into open space on December 20, 1977 – cosmonauts Yuri Romanenko and Georgy Grechko worked outside the "Salyut-6" station. Subsequently, the spacesuit was constantly modernized: versions "Orlan-DM", "Orlan-DMA", "Orlan-M", "Orlan-MK" appeared. The development of "Orlan-MKS" began in 2006, and these spacesuits have been used on the ISS since 2017. Three "Orlan-MKS" units are constantly on the station. The new spacesuit is fully compatible with the ISS onboard systems, suitable for cosmonauts from 165 to 190 centimeters tall, and allows adjusting the length of the sleeves and legs directly in orbit.