title: Design and structural analysis of highly mobile space suits and gloves.
abstract: This paper evaluates the factors that control the flexibility of fabric space-suit elements, in particular gloves, by examining a bending model of a pressurized fabric tube. Results from the model are used to evaluate the design strategies used in space-suit components, to evaluate the current direction in research on highly mobile space-suit gloves and to suggest changes necessary for optimum glove fabric selection. Finally it is shown that the modulus of the fabric used in space-suit joint construction is as important to the flexibility of the joint as the glove size and design.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Main
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Strauss
mesh_terms: D018480:Astronauts; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004867:Equipment Design; D018478:Extravehicular Activity; D017575:Gloves, Protective; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints; D008433:Mathematics; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D018583:Pliability; D013026:Space Flight / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018561:Space Simulation; D019442:Space Suits; D013784:Textiles