Astronauts test SpaceX Starship hardware and spacesuits for Artemis 3 moon mission (photos)

[Admin]

Two astronauts performed tests inside full-scale mock ups of SpaceX’s Starship Human Landing System to test spacesuits and other hardware for NASA's Artemis 3 moon mission.

Astronauts test SpaceX Starship hardware and spacesuits for Artemis 3 moon mission (photos) : Read more

 

[newtons_laws]

I know that because of the height of the Starship Human Landing System it has an elevator on the outside to lower astronauts down to the lunar surface and back up again, but has the risk of the elevator not working once the astronauts are on the surface been considered? In that event having emergency step rungs on the side of the craft might be a good idea, and since the craft operates in the lunar environment which doesn't have an atmosphere having rung protrusions on the outside of the lander wouldn't be an aerodynamic problem. Incidentally as the HLS is about 50 metres high the airlock would probably be about 40 metres above the lunar surface, so even in lunar gravity a fall from that height needs to be avoided, therefore if step rungs are needed to be used probably best for the astronauts to have a tether that they can clip onto each rung in turn while ascending.

 

[TheCoolBrit]

I know that because of the height of the Starship Human Landing System it has an elevator on the outside to lower astronauts down to the lunar surface and back up again, but has the risk of the elevator not working once the astronauts are on the surface been considered? In that event having emergency step rungs on the side of the craft might be a good idea, and since the craft operates in the lunar environment which doesn't have an atmosphere having rung protrusions on the outside of the lander wouldn't be an aerodynamic problem. Incidentally as the HLS is about 50 metres high the airlock would probably be about 40 metres above the lunar surface, so even in lunar gravity a fall from that height needs to be avoided, therefore if step rungs are needed to be used probably best for the astronauts to have a tether that they can clip onto each rung in turn while ascending.

I am sure the amazing folks at NASA and also the engineering team at SpaceX have study these ideas in great detail, It will be interesting to see the final safety systems put in place on the Lunar Starship ready for September 2026.
Go Artemis

 

[dmt472]

The suits aren't even inflated, the trouser sleeve is not even zipped down fully on the second photo. Pretty good training SpaceX, I'm sure the fully pressurised glove will definitely be the same size!

 

[TheCoolBrit]

The suits aren't even inflated, the trouser sleeve is not even zipped down fully on the second photo. Pretty good training SpaceX, I'm sure the fully pressurised glove will definitely be the same size!

The test suits were from Axiom space, not sure if that was SpaceX's choice.