Dan Klopp works for ILC Dover, the company that has manufactured every EVA spacesuit for NASA for the last 50-plus years, making it the only company in the world to have protected humans on the Moon. ILC Dover also designs and manufactures landing systems for spacecraft, including four sets of landing airbags now on the surface of Mars, and prototype inflatable space habitats. In this Astro Ben Podcast interview, Ben talks to Dan about what makes a spacesuit, how suits are adapted for different astronauts and how they will change for the Moon and Mars.
They also cover why ILC was NASA’s best-kept secret, Virgin Galactic and SpaceX suits, what an EVA spacewalk is and ILC’s aim to protect the first Martian.
What you will hear in this episode
What ILC Dover is, and why it was NASA’s best-kept secret
What makes a spacesuit, including Virgin Galactic and SpaceX suits
What an EVA spacewalk is
The five things a spacesuit needs to keep humans alive
How EVA spacesuits have been adapted for different astronauts and body types
How spacesuits will change as we go back to the Moon and on to Mars
ILC’s aim to protect the first Martian
Other applications for spacesuits, and robotics within the suits
Where to watch spacewalks
Follow ILC Dover
Listen to the Astro Ben Podcast
Libsyn | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube
More episodes: Jeffrey Roth on The Wonder of It All | Tyler Browder on cloud mission control for satellites | All Astro Ben Podcast episodes
New space interviews every week. Look up. Listen in.