Lunar Outfitters: Making the Apollo Space Suit

The Model A-7L pressure suit worn by the Apollo 11 astronauts originated at ILC Industries, an obscure Delaware industrial firm. ILC failed to win NASA's faith but met the deadline and won the contract, leading to the creation of the suit that would determine the success or failure of the Apollo missions.

Format: Unspecified
Length: 422 pages
Publication date: 14 November 2023
Publisher: University Press of Florida

The Apollo 11 astronauts' iconic moon landing is a testament to America's technological prowess. Few realize that the Model A-7L pressure suit, worn by the astronauts, and its successor, the Model A-7LB, were developed by ILC Industries (now ILC Dover, LP), an obscure Delaware industrial firm. Longtime ILC space suit test engineer Bill Ayrey has uncovered original files and photographs to recount the company's remarkable contribution to the Apollo Program. Despite its early innovations, ILC struggled to gain NASA's trust. When the government sought new suit concepts in 1965, ILC had to fight for recognition before receiving a mere six weeks to develop a radically different design. Not only did ILC meet the deadline but also secured the contract, marking a significant underdog success. However, this triumph presented ILC with its greatest challenge: designing a suit that would determine the success or failure of the Apollo missions and the lives of the astronauts.

Lunar Outfitters delves into the intricate details of the suit that enabled human beings to step onto the moon, providing a captivating glimpse into the history of a crucial component of the space program.

Dimension: 235 x 156 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780813080437