How feasible is it for a private citizen to build a space suit?

[CCWilson]

In a novel I've started, the Earth is slung out of solar orbit. But we are given several years' warning that we will be losing the sun as an energy source. Would it be possible for a scientific-minded individual to build a space suit to protect him for a few hours, at least, from temperatures down to say -150 degrees Celsius, when he ventures out from his underground bunker? At that point we would still have a decent atmosphere - although water vapor, carbon dioxide, and several other gases would have frozen out - so the issue wouldn't be atmospheric pressure, it would be protection from the cold plus oxygen supply. Thanks.

[dimreepr]

In a novel I've started, the Earth is slung out of solar orbit. But we are given several years' warning that we will be losing the sun as an energy source. Would it be possible for a scientific-minded individual to build a space suit to protect him for a few hours, at least, from temperatures down to say -150 degrees Celsius, when he ventures out from his underground bunker? At that point we would still have a decent atmosphere - although water vapor, carbon dioxide, and several other gases would have frozen out - so the issue wouldn't be atmospheric pressure, it would be protection from the cold plus oxygen supply. Thanks.

 

 

Sounds like a well insulated diving suit with, not only oxygen but heat, supplied through the umbilical would suffice. It would just depend on how far the explorer intends/needs to go.

 

Edited September 22, 2012 by dimreepr

[dimreepr]

hmmm

double posted again maybe it's not a faulty mouse

Edited September 22, 2012 by dimreepr

[StringJunky]

hmmm

double posted again maybe it's not a faulty mouse

 

Are you hitting the 'back' button on your browser after submitting?...this does it.

Edited September 22, 2012 by StringJunky

[dimreepr]

Are you hitting the 'back' button on your browser after submitting?...this does it.

 

 

No I have discovered this previously, so I always scroll upand hit 'today's posts'. I am quite convinced the mouse is at fault and is just a coincidence that I have got yet another faulty mouse or perhaps the OS may be the problem, I will re-install and get back to you.

 

Edited September 22, 2012 by dimreepr

[Enthalpy]

In cold air, you don't need a space suit. You need warm clothes (people live in the Antarctic with clothes, -150°C is only 3 times worse) and a regenerative exchanger to withhold the heat and humidity for the next breathe in - but let the CO2 go. The regenerative heat exchanger from Stirling engines can be an example, as well as the cloth Touareg breathe in to retain humidity.

 

I write only 3 times worse because people use low-tech in the Antarctic, like animal fur, or fabrics. Technology has brutally better insulators, especially multi-layer insulators (MLI) which just need to remain flexible, light and scratch-proof despite having vacuum inside and pressure outside.

 

Very accessible to an individual.

[Phi for All]

If we're talking about a MacGyver-type cobble-up, multiple layers of radiant barrier might help under some kind of dive suit. If you wrap multiple layers of the reflective material, you just need a layering of non-conductive material between each layer so the metal layers don't touch each other. This would help you retain body heat better, and maybe you could figure out some kind of electric long underwear underneath it all.

[CCWilson]

There are some diving dry suits which might be adequate for thermal protection, especially if we added 7V electric undergarments, as suggested. There's still the issue of how to supply oxygen. There's oxygen in the atmosphere, but it would be way too cold to breathe directly. Compressed air scuba tanks, superinsulated, could work, but for a limited time only. Ideally you'd have something almost like a snorkel inside the headgear where you breathe in air from the outside world which is somehow preheated before it reaches your mask, then you exhale through the snorkel's exit valve to the outside. Also, there wouldn't be any water vapor in the atmosphere, having frozen long before. Any ideas on how to heat the inspired air and maybe add humidity?

Edited September 24, 2012 by CCWilson

[CaptainPanic]

As stated before: insulation should (theoretically) be sufficient. Your body produces 150 W of heat, on average, so if your heat loss is that same value, you will not heat up or cool down. It's gonna be a very thick coat, but nothing too special.

 

However, in order to breathe, you may want to have some kind of heat exchanger that pre-heats the air you breathe in, and uses the air you breathe out to do that. That heat exchanger would need a way to collect all the water which will condense (or freeze!) from your breath.

 

Alternatively to ordinary insulation, you could add a little heating inside the suit. It would be heavier, but not rocketscience. I would think of something like a battery-powered electric blanket. Those might even already exist, and will do the job if combined with some additional insulation.

[vampares]

The vacuum of space won't take all that much energy from you like cold stiff wind will. Provided you are a warm blooded individual you shouldn't need much additional heating. The radiation in space is a concern. And you would need pressurization of some sort for the entire body so that the blood in the head doesn't pressed out. That pressurization portion would need extra protection against punctures and it would need flexible joints.