Bright orange circa early 1960s Goodrich A/P22S-3 full pressure suit with a worn "U. S. Air Force" emblem on the chest, Scott Aviation Corp. pressure suit controller and hose on the front, pressure meter on the knee, and two leather-palmed gloves. A strap on the front is annotated in felt tip, "Murphy." In very good to fine condition, with several loose neck ring gaskets. This is essentially the Air Force variant of the Navy's MK IV pressure suit, which would be further adapted and modified for Project Mercury. Pressure suits were developed by the US Navy and Air Force for the use of their pilots in high-altitude unpressurized fighter jets, and would be necessary to protect NASA astronauts in the event of sudden depressurization of the cabin in the vacuum of space. Upon testing, NASA preferred the Navy's Mark IV suit as a platform: the most obvious modification NASA made was the replacement of the dark outer shell with aluminum-coated nylon for thermal control purposes, giving the suit a futuristic shiny silver appearance; most of the other changes also had to do with thermal and environmental control.
Provenance: The Spaceflight America Museum and Science Center in Prince Frederick, MD.
