Posted
6/12/2008 09:15:00 PM
by Douglas
For the first time since the first
EVAs in the mid 60s, Americans are going venture out into the void of space in a suit
not built by
Hamilton.Oceaneering International Inc., best known for providing deep water services and products to the oil and gas industry, has been chosen to design and make the next generation of spacesuits for NASA, the space agency announced Thursday.
The Houston-based company beat out Exploration Systems & Technology, a jointly owned company between ILC and Hamilton Sundstrand, the United Technologies subsidiary that had been the primary contractor for NASA spacesuits since the 1960s.
Sometimes 40 years of experience in life support engineering isn't enough.
The $745 million contract has three phases and calls for a total of 109 suits, 24 of which will be the lunar suits.
That's an expensive suit.