posted 03-27-2020 01:23 PM               

The subject being the design processes behind a giant leap for mankind. Neil Armstrong in a space suit on the moon remains an iconic representation of America's technological ingenuity.

Written therefore, by Mr. Ayrey who at the time helped me a lot for the pages of my website (in French) dedicated to the A7L and the A7LB.

posted 03-27-2020 02:10 PM               

The design processes behind a giant leap for mankind Neil Armstrong in a space suit on the moon remains an iconic representation of America's technological ingenuity.

Few know that the Model A-7L pressure suit worn by the Apollo 11 astronauts, and the Model A-7LB that replaced it in 1971, originated at ILC Industries (now ILC Dover, LP), an obscure Delaware industrial firm. Longtime ILC space suit test engineer Bill Ayrey draws on original files and photographs to tell the dramatic story of the company's role in the Apollo Program.

Though respected for its early designs, ILC failed to win NASA's faith. When the government called for new suit concepts in 1965, ILC had to plead for consideration before NASA gave it a mere six weeks to come up with a radically different design. ILC not only met the deadline but won the contract. That underdog success led to its greatest challenge: winning a race against time to create a suit that would determine the success or failure of the Apollo missions ― and life or death for the astronauts.

A fascinating behind-the-scenes history of a vital component of the space program, Lunar Outfitters goes inside the suit that made it possible for human beings to set foot on the Moon.

• Hardcover: 400 pages
  
• University Press of Florida (October 6, 2020)
  
• ISBN-10: 0813066573
  
• ISBN-13: 978-0813066578

posted 10-19-2020 01:11 PM               

NASA History Virtual Brown Bag Talk: 'Lunar Outfitters: Making the Apollo Space Suit'

Please join us on October 28, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. EDT for our Virtual History Brown Bag talk: Bill Ayrey, "Lunar Outfitters: Making the Apollo Space Suit."

When President John. F. Kennedy proposed that this county land a man on the moon and return him safely by the end of the decade in 1961, it challenged NASA and industry since many of the advanced technologies had yet to be invented. This included the space suits we would need to walk on the moon.

Two well respected aerospace organizations had experience making high altitude pressure suits but only a couple of engineers from a relatively unknown company had set their sights set on developing a true space suit with high mobility. This constantly challenged NASA and the team at ILC Industries who were developing the new suit.

The goal while writing this book was to tell the people story as well as document the technical details of the various models of the Apollo suit including the pre-Apollo suits.

Bill Ayrey retired in May, 2019 from ILC Dover after 41 years of service. He was responsible for managing the test laboratories for the company where the space suits made for the Space Shuttle than the International Space Station were tested prior to delivery. He also represented the company as their historian. Since 1998, he has donated many hours of his time to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum as they focused on the preservation of the Apollo suits in their collection.

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