Environmentally Protective Fabrics for Spacesuits

Luna is addressing NASA?s need to develop new multifunctional textiles for improved Environmental Protection Garments (EPG). Previous protective suits such as the Apollo era EPG or currently used Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) provide thermal and micrometeoroid protection, but are intended only for short duration use. NASA plans for a future manned Mars mission will potentially require extended protection for up to 500 days. Critical capabilities for these textiles include improved i) dust mitigation to protect from potentially corrosive or abrasive particles in the Martian regolith, ii) cut and puncture resistance to protect the suit bladder from damage from sharp edges of tools and rocks, and iii) durability for extended use. Luna will develop a multifunctional textile composite that will achieve these stringent goals, while maintaining comfort and mobility. Our team will combine several well developed technologies into a practical textile design, which will provide excellent protection from dust, fire, chemical exposure, and cut/puncture. These will be integrated to minimize weight and maximize flexibility such as to not prohibit, degrade, or interfere with the use of equipment.