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>> NASA, the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration presents Aeronautics
and Space Report.
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[Music] This is where the suits worn
by Apollo astronauts are sewn, cemented, assembled, and tested.
ILC industries in Dover,
Delaware is where they put it all together.
Arms, legs, torso, boots, the end product,
an incredibly reliable custom tailored hand assembled life
support system, a space suit.
The initial measurements taken
at NASA's manned spacecraft center
in Houston are the first step.
>> When an astronaut is assigned
to a particular flight many measurements are taken
of his body approximately 60.
It takes three months from the time we have his measurements
until we do have a spacesuit built for him,
and there's a formula involved to give the man maximum mobility
in a confinement of you might say a pressurized balloon.
It is in this production room that the balloon
like inner suit called the bladder is assembled.
Individual parts move on a schedule
that brings all the pieces together
into an integrated space suit.
Meanwhile, on the second floor
of the plant the white outer suit consisting
of 17 layers is cut out and assembled.
These include a layer of woven Teflon to provide resistance
to abrasions, a layer of fire retardant fiberglass called beta
clock, and a series of nylon restraints to hold
in the inner suit, like the skin of a football.
So close to the tolerances that if a part is cut out
and doesn't match the pattern by a 32nd
of an inch, it must be recut.
Gloves must fit so perfectly that they are made
from plaster casts of the astronauts hands.
It takes 160 hours to make a single pair
of molds, and gloves.
During qualification testing suits are subjected
to 10 times the design requirements of a lunar mission.
Another critical area are the pressure tests.
To be accepted a spacesuit must have practically zero leakage
when pressurized.
Each of the prime crewmen
on an Apollo mission has three suits made,
a training suit used till the day of launch, a flight suit,
and one that serves as a backup.
The last stop is called the fit check.
Here Astronaut Charles M. Duke, Lunar Module Pilot
for the upcoming Apollo 16 moon landing next March tries on one
of his suits for size and comfort.
>> Okay, sir.
You're at advanced pressure.
You want to stay there?
>> Yeah, let me work it out a little bit.
>> The fifth check is done in two parts.
First, the inner suit is worn.
Adjustments are made and later
in the day the astronaut dawns the two pieces now put together
as one totally integrated suit.
It is here that the suit is finally accepted or sent back
for additional changes.
We asked Astronaut Duke to comment on his suits.
>> Yeah, it's a good fit.
Both my suits have an excellent fit,
so we haven't had any trouble at all.
This is my second time or actually a third time.
I have a training suit, and then two flight suits.
One spare, and one prime suit.
Both flight suits just fit exceptionally well.
Real pleased.
>> [Music] Like a jigsaw puzzle the pieces forming a garment
that the astronauts can wear with comfort
and confidence are brought together.
A garment that serves as a small scale earth environment
in the hostile airless environment of space.