Gemini Space Suit - Apollo Program

Apollo Program

After the ending of Gemini, the Gemini space suit was chosen by NASA for the initial Apollo Block I concept demonstrator phase of the program. Since EVAs were impractical due to the hatch design of the Block I Apollo spacecraft to be used for Earth orbital test flights, and with a design competition underway between ILC Dover, Hamilton Standard (later Hamilton Sunstrand), and David Clark for a new Block II lunar EVA suit, NASA decided to use the G3C as the base for the Apollo Block I suit, designated A1C. This version added a white nomex cover layer from the G4C and G5C suits, new electrical and environmental disconnects, a protective shell over the plexiglas visor (plexiglas was used instead of polycarbonate due to its expense). Since Apollo would use a launch escape system in place of Gemini's ejection seats, a yellow-colored U-shaped inflatable "Mae West" personal flotation device replaced the pilot parachute and its harness. Only two Block I flights were initially planned, then the second one was canceled.

Astronauts Grissom, White, and Roger Chaffee were wearing A1C suits in a launch rehearsal test for the Apollo 1 mission on January 27, 1967, when they were killed in a cabin fire, resulting in NASA cancelling manned "Block I" flights. Since space suits were now required to be fireproof, NASA decided to scrap the A1C suit and apply the fireproofing to the new Block II suit manufactured by ILC Dover, designated A7L. All manned Apollo flights now used the new suit, starting with Apollo 7.