Environmental Suit Classification
Environment suits, also called enclosed suits, are essential for conducting external maintenance in space or on planets with hostile environments, as well as for handling various dangerous substances. They are generally classified into four categories, with class A and B being considered partial protective equipment and classes C and D being considered true environmental suits.
- Class A encompasses any suite of gear which covers and protects the entire body but is not fully sealed against the external atmosphere. Class A generally applies to medical and general laboratory protective equipment.
- Class B requires the suit to be fully sealed, but does not require any pressure differential capability. Class B suits are typically used in radiation and biohazard response.
- Class C are vacuum-capable fully sealed environment suits. While it is not required for the classification, since most class C suits are primarily designed for space maintenance, they typically include shoe attachment magnets and limited maneuvering thrusters for basic space maneuvering capabilities.
- Class D classification is for extreme environments, such as extremely high or low temperatures or corrosive atmospheres. The environment mitigations in these suits are often quite heavy, requiring motorized assistance to be built into them for mobility, particularly as these suits are typically used in environments with significant gravity.
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