Comprehensive History of American Aviation Pressure Suits: Early Pioneers to Space Shuttle, Kittinger, Crossfield, Neil Armstrong, SR-71, U-2, Navy and Air Force Suits, Asteroid Mission Suit

From the earliest aviation pressure suit pioneers to today's plans for space suits for the planned manned asteroid retrieval mission, this unique ebook compilation will be of great interest to aviation and space enthusiasts. It includes a reproduction of a major NASA History Special Publication, Dressing For Altitude: U.S. Aviation Pressure Suits - Wiley Post to Space Shuttle. Anybody who has watched many movies or television shows has seen them—the ubiquitous silver suits worn by pilots as they explore the unknown. They are called pressure suits, and one can trace their lineage to Wiley Post or, perhaps, a bit earlier. There are two kinds of pressure suits: partial pressure and full pressure. In a partial-pressure suit, the counter-pressure is not as complete as in a full-pressure suit, but it is placed so that shifts in body fluids are kept within reasonable limits. On the other hand, a full-pressure suit, which is an anthropomorphic pressure vessel, creates an artificial environment for the pilot. One type of pressure suit is not necessarily "better" than the other, and both partial pressure and full pressure suits are still in limited use around the world. Both type of suits have benefits and limitations and, by and large, pilots dislike both, even while acknowledging their necessity. For the past 60 years, they have been an indispensible part of a small fragment of the aviation world. Although space suits, which differ from pressure suits in subtle, but important ways, have been well covered in literature, pressure suits have gone unheralded except as introductions to the space suit histories. This book is an attempt to correct that, and covers pressure suits from the beginning through the end of the Space Shuttle program.

Contents: Horror Vacui * Structure of Atmosphere * Atmospheric Pressure * Physiological Issues of High-Altitude Flight * Mark Ridge, Wiley Post, and John Kearby * Early Pressure Suits * Wiley Post and the Winnie Mae * International Efforts * Aeromedical Pioneers * U.S. Army Rediscovers the Pressure Suit * Summary * Acceleration Protection * Physiology of Acceleration * Human Centrifuges * Beginning of an Idea * Australian Cotton Aerodynamic Anti-G Suit * Canadian Franks Flying Suit * Americans * Berger Brothers * Worcester Connection * Cutaway Suits * Postwar Suits * TLSS and COMBAT EDGE * ATAGS and F-22 * Rediscovering Progressive Arterial Occlusion Suit * Partial-Pressure Suits * Pressure Breathing * S-1: Genesis of the Partial-Pressure Suit * S-2 and T-1: Production Partial-Pressure Suits * MC-1: Featherweight Suit * MB-1 and MB-2: Ill-Fated Air Defense Command Suits * MC-3 and MC-4: Dragon Ladies and Hustlers * MC-3A Specials: Manhigh, Excelsior, and Stargazer * CSU-2/P: Attempt to Improve the MC-4 * C-1A and C-4: Navy Capstan Suits * CSU-4/P and CSU-5/P: Bladders Only * HAPS-NASA Dryden High-Altitude Protective System * Navy Full-Pressure Suits * Russell Colley, Again * Mark I * Mark II * Mark III * Mark IV * Mark IV Suits for Strato-Lab * Mark V * Project Mercury Spacesuits * Air Force Full-Pressure Suits * Lines of Nonextension * MC-2: A New Beginning * A/P22S-2: Production USAF Full-Pressure Suits * Sidebar: The Evolving Pressure Suit Depot * A/P22S-3: A Navy Suit for the Air Force * A/P22S-4 and A/P22S-6: Evolving the Concept Boyle's Law Suit * PHAFO: The Stillborn High-Altitude Flying Outfit * Special Project Suits * S901 and S970:Suits for Oxcart * S-100: Hybrid Suit for the Original U-2 * S901J: Initial Suit for Senior Crown * S1010: A Suit for Dragon Lady * S1031C: Common Suit * S1034: Improved Common Suit * Shrinking Industrial Base * Space Shuttle Pressure Suits * ISSA and EIS: Stillborn Space Shuttle Suits * S1030A: Ejection Escape System (EES) Suits * LEH: Launch Entry Helmet * S1032: Launch Entry Suits (LES) * S1035: Advanced Crew Escape Suit (ACES) * Comparing Columbia to an SR-71 Breakup