The Shuttle Ejection Escape Suit was used from
STS-1 (1981) to
STS-4
STS-4 was the fourth NASA Space Shuttle mission, and also the fourth for Space Shuttle ''Columbia''. Crewed by Ken Mattingly and Henry Hartsfield, the mission launched on June 27, 1982, and landed a week later on July 4, 1982. Due to parachute ...
(1982) by a two-man crew used in conjunction with
Space Shuttle ''Columbia'''s ejection seats. It allowed ejections up to Mach 2.7 and 24.4 km (80,000 ft).
[ The suit was manufactured by the ]David Clark Company
David Clark Company, Inc. is an American manufacturing company. DCC designs and manufactures a wide variety of aerospace and industrial protective equipment, including pressure-space suit systems, anti-G suits, headsets, and several medical/safet ...
of Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester ( , ) is a city and county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, the city's population was 206,518 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the second-List of cities i ...
. It was derived from the USAF Model S1030
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signa ...
suit, which at the time, was being worn by SR-71
The Lockheed SR-71 "Blackbird" is a Range (aeronautics), long-range, high-altitude, Mach number, Mach 3+ military strategy, strategic reconnaissance aircraft developed and manufactured by the American aerospace company Lockheed Corporati ...
pilots.[ The Shuttle was certified as operational for ]STS-5
STS-5 was the fifth NASA Space Shuttle mission and the fifth flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia, Space Shuttle ''Columbia''. It launched on November 11, 1982, and landed five days later on November 16, 1982. STS-5 was the first Space Shuttle ...
, at which point the escape suits were replaced with light blue coveralls.[ The seats themselves were deactivated during ]STS-5
STS-5 was the fifth NASA Space Shuttle mission and the fifth flight of the Space Shuttle Columbia, Space Shuttle ''Columbia''. It launched on November 11, 1982, and landed five days later on November 16, 1982. STS-5 was the first Space Shuttle ...
and removed before STS-9
STS-9 (also referred to Spacelab 1) was the ninth NASA Space Shuttle mission and the sixth mission of the Space Shuttle ''Columbia''. Launched on 28 November 1983, the ten-day mission carried the first Spacelab laboratory module into orbit.
...
, with the intervening flights conducted by Space Shuttle ''Challenger'', which did not have ejection seats.
Specifications
*Name: Shuttle Ejection Escape Suit (S1030A)USAF Model S1030
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Signa ...
[
*Manufacturer: David Clark Company][
*Missions: STS-1 to ]STS-4
STS-4 was the fourth NASA Space Shuttle mission, and also the fourth for Space Shuttle ''Columbia''. Crewed by Ken Mattingly and Henry Hartsfield, the mission launched on June 27, 1982, and landed a week later on July 4, 1982. Due to parachute ...
[
*Function: Intra-vehicular activity (IVA) and Ejection][
*Operating Pressure: 2.7 psi (18.6 kPa)][
*Suit Weight: 40 lb (18 kg)][
*Primary Life Support: Vehicle Provided][
*Backup Life Support: Vehicle Provided][
]
Images
File:Columbia STS-1 training.jpg,
File:S81-29052.jpg,
File:S81-30852.jpg,
File:STS-3 Crew.jpg
References
*
{{space suits, state=expanded
American spacesuits