Evolution of the spacesuit

1961. SK-1 pressure suit: Worn by Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin – first person to journey into space

1963. Project Mercury full-body vacuum suit: Made by B.F. Goodrich, pressure suit uses
“closed-loop” breathing system

1965. Berkut suit: Aleksei Leonov makes first ever spacewalk during Voskhod 2.
Vacuum of space causes spacesuit to inflate like balloon. Leonov vents his vital oxygen supply to lower pressure and make suit small enough to re-enter airlock

1966. Gemini Astronaut Manoeuvring Unit: Helmet is equipped with gold-plated visor to shield astronaut from unfiltered sun rays.
System is composed of life-support pack worn on chest and jet-powered unit worn on the back.
Manoeuvring Units are not used during spacewalks until Space Shuttle programme

1969. Apollo AL-7: Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin stands on surface of Moon during Apollo 11 mission. A7-L spacesuits – made by Collins Aerospace – feature pressure garment and backpack containing life-support system to allow astronauts to walk untethered on lunar surface

1971. A7-LB: Used on Apollo 15-17 lunar missions, Skylab and Apollo-Soyuz.
Made by International Latex Corp., suit can be worn for up to 115 hours with Liquid Cooling Garment, or for 14 days in an unpressurised environment

1973. Sokol suit: Used by all who fly on Soyuz spacecraft.
Following Soyuz 11 disaster in June 1971 – when spacecraft depressurises during re-entry, killing three-man crew – NPP Zvezda bureau develops series of rescue suits still in use
today

1981. Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU): Currently used by crew on International Space Station
(ISS) to perform extravehicular activity, together with Russian Orlan-M suits

1994-2011. Advanced Crew Escape Suit: Pumpkin Suit used during Shuttle flights.
New version being considered for deep space travel to Moon and Mars

2008. China’s Feitian: Spacesuit worn by Zhai Zhigang during first Chinese spacewalk.
Based on Russian Orlan-M suit.
Feitian means “flying in the sky”

2019. SpaceX: 3D printed space suit helmet for flights of Crew Dragon to ISS



Sources: Aviation Week, NASA 
Pictures: Bonhams’, NASA, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, SpaceX, Zvezda 
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