SkinSuit Designed By Dr. James Waldie Worn By Astronaut Inside The ISS

Australian University RMIT's Alumnus Dr. James Waldie is an aerospace engineer and a senior research associate, who has designed a new space-suit that is inspired by famous Australian sprinter Cathy Freeman's bodysuit from the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Dr. Waldie and his team designed and developed the skin-tight outfit called 'SkinSuit' that can mimic the conditions from the ground for astronauts in orbit. Created using bi-directional elastics, this SkinSuit mimics the impact of gravity on the body to reduce the debilitating physical effects on astronaut's bodies in space flights.

It is a known fact that, the space journey for an astronaut can have severe effects on his or her health. Especially the weightless conditions in space can make the astronauts lose up to 2% bone mass per month and their spines can get stretched up to 7 cms. Astronauts suffer from mild pain due to this. Even after the space flight is over, the astronauts are subject to 4 times the risk of herniated discs (aka slipped discs) as the general population.

Last month i.e. on September 2nd, Denmark’s first astronaut Andreas Mogensen was launched with Soyuz TMA-18M to ISS (International Space Station) and landed with Soyuz TMA-16M ten days later. On one of these days, he wore the SkinSuit and tested its effectiveness in the weightless conditions.

Dr. Waldie's design of the suit let the increase in vertical load gradually from the wearer’s shoulders to their feet. This mechanism simulates the loading regime that's created by the bodyweight standing on earth.

As it turns out, the SkinSuit could qualify several tests on ground and parabolic flights. It successfully cleared the spaceflight qualification programme and got selected for the ISS mission. The aim was that if it could reduce the astronauts's spinal elongation in space, it can reduce the stress on the intervertebral discs.

Astronaut Mogensen tested the SkinSuit in a variety of conditions while taking frequent height measurements. He also did comfort and mobility tests while wearing it. In fact, he was able to exercise with the suit on, by being on the ISS's bicycle ergometer.

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