Suitport - Operation

Operation

In a suitport system, a rear-entry space suit is attached and sealed against the outside of a spacecraft, space habitat, or rover. To go on an extra-vehicular activity (EVA), an astronaut first enters the suit from inside the vehicle, and closes and seals the space suit backpack and the vehicle's hatch (which seals to the backpack for dust containment). The astronaut then unseals and separates the suit from the vehicle, and is ready to perform an EVA.

To re-enter the vehicle, the astronaut backs up to the suitport and seals the suit to the vehicle, before opening the hatch and backpack and transferring back into the vehicle. If the vehicle and suit do not operate at the same pressure, it will be necessary to equalize the two pressures before the hatch can be opened.