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    ESA > Our Activities > Human and Robotic Exploration > Research

    Aouda.X, spacesuit simulator for planetary surface exploration

    Aouda.X is a novel spacesuit simulator developed by the Austrian Space Forum. It is not a real suit, but simulates the functions and feel of a spacesuit that would possibly be used by the astronauts on a planetary surface. This lets us learn here on Earth how difficult it is to operate and perform science on a distant planetary body.

    With a helmet featuring a Head-Up Display (HUD), full air circulation with carbon dioxide control, medical monitoring for safety, joints and gloves emulating the stiffness of a real suit and radio equipment, Aouda.X is a perfect way to simulate extravehicular activity on a planetary surface.

    An advanced human-machine interface, a set of sensors and purpose-designed software act as a local virtual assistant to the wearer. It is designed to interact with other field components like the rover and instruments.

    System Overview

    Aouda.X
    • Mass less than 45 kg
    • Hard-Upper-Torso suit with ambient air ventilation
    • Outer hull: Panox/Kevlar tissue with aluminium coating
    • Modifiable exoskeleton able to simulate various pressure regimes for all major human joints, including fingers
    • Biomedical and engineering telemetry with W-Lan (including continuous video & audio, various temperatures, CO2, GPS, air pressure, humidity, acceleration), human waste management
    • Advanced human-machine interface including speech recognition and accelerometer input devices in the gloves
    • Voltage: various busses, 12 V main bus; 5 GHz W-Lan band for back-up analogue radio for contingency situations

    Performance envelope

    • Endurance 4-6 hours (including donning/doffing) field operations
    • Temperature limits: -110°C and +35°C (tested)
    • W-Lan range up to 1 km (can be extended with directional W-Lan)

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