NASA xEMU Suit

[Kokanee]

Just starting to get specs and materials together for my next project, the NASA xEMU Spacesuit.

I had finished a big project last month and have been wondering what to tackle next, when Adam Savage posted this video and got me really fired up about doing this:

While his project is more admittedly "inspired by" than "replication", I was really intrigued by the wooden frame and spandex method of creating a base for fiberglassing and combined with the tip about cheap Chinese lazy Susan bearings, wow no reason not to get this done. So credit where it is due, thanks for the tips.

The xEMU is still in development, so details may change as the project progresses but I feel NASA and ILC are at a point where the major things are nailed down. So this will likely won't be "100% spot on" but as close as can be managed at this point. Shooting for Halloween 2022, but if I have to take a pass and go for 2023 instead no worries.

I'll post materials and links here in the first post so that others can get their hands on them if someone else wants to do this as well.

(below list is a WIP)

HARD COMPONENTS

Bearings (exempt equatorial) 10.08US $ 16% OFF|4/6/8/10/12/14/16 Inches Design Lazy Susan Aluminum Ball Bearing Turntable Bearings Swivel Plate|Swivel Plates| - AliExpress

Equatorial Bearings 104.5US $ 5% OFF|1pcs 24inch 600mm Lazy Susan Round Turntable Bearings Brackets|round bracket|bracket bearingbracket l - AliExpress

Visor - Will have to make custom bucks and have vacuformed locally.

SOFT COMPONENTS

Outer TMG Cloth White 210 Denier Coated Nylon Oxford Fabric (2/3rds the weight I used for my Apollo suit)

 

[Kokanee]

It lives!

Finally my bearings arrived (waiting since Feb 22):

I do have a guest room to get up and running by the end of the month, but after that full steam ahead on framing up the hard upper torso! NASA has discontinued this program, but IMHO the other suits from the two private ventures don't look nearly as cool so I'm going to stick with this. Multiverse theory, there must be many timelines where this suit made it to the moon.

 

[Hughes]

Going to watch your progress for sure! Awesome.

 

[Kokanee]

Okay so a good amount of progress just before it gets too cold here in northern Alberta for fiberglass work. Unfortunately, this attempt is a complete write-off, but let's review what went down, lessons learned etc. Full disclosure, this was my first fiberglass project.

Designed and printed off a handy circle jig for my router, that let me cut nice perfect circles. *Lesson: The jig was slightly 3-5% too large for the router base, and while this made removing it a snap, introduced some play into the cutting. I compensated by always applying pressure on the router towards the centre of the cut, but will reduce in size and print again so it's a perfect press fit next time.

I was able to get some nice bases for all the bearings and mounting points on the HUT.

This is what I had as a frame before stretching the spandex fabric over it.

And with spandex material stretched over the frame. At this point, it was time to apply a layer of fiberglass resin, let cure, then a layer of fiberglass cloth to produce a sturdy but not too heavy HUT body.

Fiberglass application went pretty well - I used more hardener than I should have because of the colder temperatures starting to creep in, but not a biggie just another small purchase to fuel the project.

At this point, I was really happy with what I had managed to make, then I noticed a problem - the back of the HUT frame where it mates with the PLSS hatch was not flat, it had been pulled "down" by the spandex material and when I fiberglassed, frozen in place bent. This is because I used a bandsaw to cut the back frame, and that necessitated a small entry cut at the bottom of the part. I had reinforced it, but not enough apparently.

Also, taking a critical eye at the HUT, I noticed my visor frame is maybe 2 degrees rotated to one side and that is going to look horrible when I try and put a visor shield etc on it.

So, knowing when to stop and start again, I am not doing any more work on this HUT, and instead I'm using it as a test bed for developing the arms while I work on a new HUT frame. This time I will be:

- Printing custom spacers and connectors for framing up the wooden frame. I had just taped and nailed everything together this time, obviously not up to snuff. By printing spacers and angle guides etc everything will be `100% true.

- Possibly use the router to do the inside of the HUT rear frame to avoid having to cut the part. Also shore this up more against that pulling force to ensure no bending. This part has to be 100% flat as it's the entry hatch.

Still, as I said I can use it to developed other bits as I go. I'll shoot to have the frame ready for fiberglass by May as that is really when the temps are warm enough here for it to be a going concern. Until then, work on the other bits.

 

[Kokanee]

The lazy susan bearings from aliexpress come with holes for standoff plugs on the outer ring, removing these plugs allows you to drill clean through the ring and then by countersinking the hole, standard wood screws can be used to attached the shoulder bearing to the HUT. I printed some 12mm x 1.4mm (6mm ID) standoffs to allow a bit of clearance between the inner ring and the HUT, so that it can rotate freely. After install the inner ring spins well with no friction.