Next-Generation Space Suits | NOVA scienceNOW

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PBS Learning Media
Next-Generation Space Suits | NOVA scienceNOW
This video segment adapted from NOVA scienceNOW examines the next generation of space suits. The bulky suits that allow astronauts to walk in space are inflated with oxygen gas to produce pressure, which humans need, but they limit the astronauts' mobility and cause them to expend precious energy. MIT engineer Dava Newman is designing a lightweight, form-fitting, flexible space suit called the Bio Suit, which produces pressure by squeezing the body directly. This resource is useful for introducing components of Engineering Design (ETS) from the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to grades 9-12 students.