The next big step for space exploration is undoubtedly the red planet, but we need to prepare... and a lot. NASA has already received special orders from the U.S. Congress to create a habitation module, and now we find a new series of tests on the NDX-1 spacesuit, developed by Argentine researcher Pablo de León. The NDX-1 has successfully resisted the most extreme environments on our planet, and its technology could have a place of privilege in a future Mars mission.
The Next Chapter in Space Exploration
When humanity visits Mars (and I emphasize "when," because sooner or later we will do it), space exploration will close its longest and most complex chapter in history, only to give way to a new one. We have the experts, the knowledge, and fundamentally the will, but space exploration needs more... specifically, time, money, and equipment. The U.S. Congress surprised many with the increase in NASA's budget, on the condition that it develop a habitation module and deliver a report within the next six months. What comes next? Of course, a spacesuit.
The NDX-1 Prototype
This is the NDX-1, a prototype developed by Argentine researcher Pablo de León and his team at the University of North Dakota. The suit has been exposed to some of the harshest environments Earth offers, including the badlands of North Dakota, Marambio Base in Antarctica, and the Pilbara region in western Australia. The latest tests for the NDX-1 were carried out at Kennedy Space Center, where the research and development division Swamp Works has a special module that largely simulates the Martian surface. There, de León accompanied researcher Travis Nelson (who wears the suit in the photo) in carrying out several "extravehicular activities," the first at the Space Center since the Apollo era.
Promising Results
So far, the results of the NDX-1 have been excellent, and despite its simple appearance, the eight-kilogram suit is a true pressurized environment that guarantees the mobility and safety of the astronaut. The parameters of the NDX-1 will be compared with a heavier prototype, and from there, we will probably see the birth of an even more advanced design.
Source: spaceref.com
