Dan Klopp works for ILC Dover, the company that has manufactured every EVA spacesuit for NASA the last 50+ years (making them the only company in the world to have protected humans on the moon). In addition to designing and manufacturing spacesuits for NASA (and by extension ESA, JAXA, and CSA), they also design and manufacture landing systems for spacecraft (there are currently 4 sets of landing airbags sitting on the surface of Mars designed and manufactured by engineers at ILC Dover), and they design prototype inflatable space habitats (for use in low Earth orbit, Deep Space Gateway, and on the lunar surface).

00:17 introduction to Dan Klopp

01:22 bringing on Dan (not in a space suit)

02:36 Dan introduces ILC Dover and doesn’t take offence to the fact Ben hasn’t heard of them

04:30 Why was ILC NASA’s best kept secret?

06:40 Space is becoming commercial.

07:05 What makes a space suit? Virgin Galactic suits

08:10 SpaceX suits

10:34 What is a EVA spacewalk?

12:30 what are the 5 things we need in a spacesuit to keep humans alive?

18:55 Ben asks ‘if you had a crack in a spacesuit helmet, could you fix it with gaffer tape.

21:15 How EVA spacesuits have been adapted over the years to be more bespoke to different astronauts of different genders/body types.

23:18 small gap in audio

29:15 How will the spacesuits change as we go back to the Moon and on Mars?

31:43 ILC are aiming to protect the first Martian!

32:43 Any other applications for spacesuits?

34:45 robotic application within the suits?

37:15 watch spacewalks!

41:34 Ben wraps up

43:34 ILC Dover’s social media

Social Media

https://www.ilcdover.com/

Instagram: @ilcdover.astrospace

Twitter: @ILCDover

Facebook: @ILC Dover

Stay connected with us!

Use #Astroben across various social media platforms to engage with us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astrobenpodcast/

Website (coming soon): www.astroben.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/gambleonit?lang=en

Please subscribe and rate - Ad Astra!