High-Tech Armour: How Spacesuits of Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, Other Astronauts Ensure Safety for Splashdown

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams , Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, are minutes away from the splashdown on Florida's coast. As they prepare to touch the Earth's surface, their safety is of utmost importance. Thanks to their highly advanced spacesuits and gloves, the astronauts can splash down aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft safely.

The spacesuits are a marvel of engineering, giving astronauts the highest level of protection during reentry and landing. Designed by Elon Musk-owned SpaceX, which has sent its Crew Dragon capsule to bring back the astronauts, these sleek spacesuits are called the SpaceX IVA (Intravehicular Activity) suits. They have been custom-fitted to ensure the safety of the astronauts depending on their body shapes, especially during crucial stages of their reentry to the Earth, such as deorbit burn, which was successful at 5:18 pm EDT (2:48 am IST).

A second skin against the void

The SpaceX IVA suits have been designed to double as life-support systems when required, especially during the cabin's reentry when the pressure drops — a rare but dangerous risk. These suits can also endure intense forces (up to 4-5 G's) the spacecraft experiences during the descent. They can maintain a stable internal pressure, keeping astronauts safe from decompression sickness or hypoxia and helping them breathe normally.

Shielding against the heat

As the capsule reentered the Earth, it brushed against the atmosphere, resulting in intense temperatures and reentering plasma, which is up to 1,900°C. The spacesuits offer thermal insulation against the temperature changes, including those induced after the splashdown into the ocean waters. The multi-layered fabrics and reflective coatings on the spacesuits help deflect heat, while an internal cooling system circulates and maintains the air inside.

Armour for a rough ride

SpaceX's special spacesuits have reinforced padding, which along with a sturdy outer layer, protects astronauts from physical jolts experienced during parachute deployment or the splashdown. The capsule is expected to hit the ocean at about 24kmph, which can impact the safety of the astronauts. However, the suits absorb any shakes, cushioning the bodies of the astronauts against spinal or limb injuries.

Read more: The ISS Wonder: How Station’s Life-Support Systems Let Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore Survive 9 Months