Is a suited astronaut on EVA a spacecraft?
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garyw
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an EVA suit is a pressuired environment that protects the wearer from the heat/cold/vacumn of space. Yes, it's a spacecraft of sorts.
BTW - This is from an argument about vehicles at the ISS that we are having on IRC :lol:
BTW - This is from an argument about vehicles at the ISS that we are having on IRC :lol:
Star Voyager
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I say: Yes it's a spacecraft, because it's a kind of the VESSEL class in the orbiter sdk's, but weve discussed how many spacecraft are docked if the space shuttle arrives, and an EVA can't dock, because it has no docking port! So there are "only" 6 spaceships DOCKED to the ISS if the shuttle has arrived... (even if there is an EVA at the same time)
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Tycho
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I'd say the spacesuit itself is the astronaut's own personal spacecraft, as it serves the functions of one:life support and mobility in space, so yes, I do consider it a spacecraft.
ZombiezuRFER
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tblaxland
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Is a parachute an aircraft?
Quick_Nick
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Maybe...nonpowered aircraft? Horrible glider? I really don't know and don't particularly care too much.
Rtyh-12
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It is a spacecraft. Imagine the suit is getting bigger and bigger. When does it stop being a suit and becomes a spacecraft? Answer: it's a spacecraft all along. It does life support just like the Shuttle and sometimes it also has thrusters. 
Only if the astronaut has a MMU with him, that can propell him forward or in any desired direction, then it can be termed as a spacecraft. If its just a person in a suit, then its not a 'spacecraft'. Its a person in a suit.
---------- Post added at 09:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:36 AM ----------
SOMETIMES, not always, you cant have a spacecraft that can only move sometimes.:lol:
---------- Post added at 09:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:36 AM ----------
It is a spacecraft. Imagine the suit is getting bigger and bigger. When does it stop being a suit and becomes a spacecraft? Answer: it's a spacecraft all along. It does life support just like the Shuttle and sometimes it also has thrusters.
SOMETIMES, not always, you cant have a spacecraft that can only move sometimes.:lol:
tblaxland
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If the suit does not have a propulsion then it is not a spacecraft? So an EMU+SAFER is a spacecraft but an Orlan is not? I'd say that they are both spacecraft.
ZombiezuRFER
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By my definition, a spacecraft is anything that is capable of transporting an operator virtually or physically as a vehicle. By that definition, the MMU is a spacecraft, but the actual suit isn't. The suit, not being a vehicle, cannot fit the definition of spacecraft. A vehicle is something capable of moving without external help, like by a space tug. The only movement the guy in the suit can do is "swim" the void, but that is external help for the suit, the guy inside having to actually move the suit to get the suit to move. So, a spacecraft is any vehicle capable of operating IN SPAAAACE. The suit is not a vehicle and therefore not a spacecraft. Also, the spacesuit does joy need to have life support. Shove a tuxedo out the airlock and voila! A space suit!
What if you stuff an astronaut in a big plastic baggie and seal it shut. Is that a spacecraft? You remember, those inflatable ball-sphere transfer things nasa was working on years ago.
And what if an astronaut farts in a space suit.. Does he get propelled forward? A surprising amount of people think yes!
And what if an astronaut farts in a space suit.. Does he get propelled forward? A surprising amount of people think yes!
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So the Soyuz descent module isn't a space craft?
Does a ship stop being a ship if the engine doesn't worrk?
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Urwumpe
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What about Hubble? Hubble is also completely immobile in space.
Is Hubble because of that no spacecraft?
Also the astronaut can move by mechanic forces over the surface of another spacecraft...he is mobile, just not rocket propelled.
Is Hubble because of that no spacecraft?
Also the astronaut can move by mechanic forces over the surface of another spacecraft...he is mobile, just not rocket propelled.
Hubble is not immobile. Hubble can use gyros and magnetic torquers to reorient itself. Hubble doesn't have thrusters, so in that sense it can't change orbits or anything.
I suppose you could call anything man-made in space a spacecraft, it doesn't matter if it has turbo-ion rocket jets or not. And it's just a matter of sophistication. What about the TOOLBAG? It had an independent orbit. Or was that space debris?
What about Echo-1 ?? Was that a spacecraft? A Satellite?
What about a space colony like an O'Neill cylinder? It is not termed a spacecraft, though it is like Hubble and cannot move. But if you put rocket motors on it, now what? We have a generational ship?
What about the Viking One? Is that a spacecraft? It doesn't go anyplace once landed. Does it cease becoming a spacecraft and now become a lander?
What about the ALSEP mirrors the Apollo guys left behind? It doesn't go anyplace either? Those mirrors had the Saturn V rocket as main propulsion, did they not? So they had engines, and they also borrowed the LM RCS too!
Does a spacecraft start out as something else then become one later on? Or does a spacecraft start out as a spacecraft and become something else, like a lander? or like a satellite?
And also what is the difference between a spacecraft and a spaceship? I understand spacecraft are smaller than spaceships. Or spaceships are manned and spacecraft are not? What size do we switch naming conventions? I fear we're arguing semantics now.
---------- Post added at 02:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:08 AM ----------
An engineer once told me that a space-a-craft is something that can carry something. Like the framework of a satellite carrying the electronics bus and relay components, for example.
Or a suit carrying the astronaut, or a shuttle carrying cargo.
A spacecraft can carry cargo or men.
A spaceship carries living things, specifically, it is designed for men, it has seats, more or less.. You don't have an un-manned spaceship, you have an abandoned spaceship, and empty spaceship, un-manned craft, derelict.
If a spacecraft is un-manned, then it could be on a temporary basis, like crew transfer.
A spaceship supposedly needs a crew to function. A craft can function with or without crew.
I suppose you could call anything man-made in space a spacecraft, it doesn't matter if it has turbo-ion rocket jets or not. And it's just a matter of sophistication. What about the TOOLBAG? It had an independent orbit. Or was that space debris?
What about Echo-1 ?? Was that a spacecraft? A Satellite?
What about a space colony like an O'Neill cylinder? It is not termed a spacecraft, though it is like Hubble and cannot move. But if you put rocket motors on it, now what? We have a generational ship?
What about the Viking One? Is that a spacecraft? It doesn't go anyplace once landed. Does it cease becoming a spacecraft and now become a lander?
What about the ALSEP mirrors the Apollo guys left behind? It doesn't go anyplace either? Those mirrors had the Saturn V rocket as main propulsion, did they not? So they had engines, and they also borrowed the LM RCS too!
Does a spacecraft start out as something else then become one later on? Or does a spacecraft start out as a spacecraft and become something else, like a lander? or like a satellite?
And also what is the difference between a spacecraft and a spaceship? I understand spacecraft are smaller than spaceships. Or spaceships are manned and spacecraft are not? What size do we switch naming conventions? I fear we're arguing semantics now.
---------- Post added at 02:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:08 AM ----------
An engineer once told me that a space-a-craft is something that can carry something. Like the framework of a satellite carrying the electronics bus and relay components, for example.
Or a suit carrying the astronaut, or a shuttle carrying cargo.
A spacecraft can carry cargo or men.
A spaceship carries living things, specifically, it is designed for men, it has seats, more or less.. You don't have an un-manned spaceship, you have an abandoned spaceship, and empty spaceship, un-manned craft, derelict.
If a spacecraft is un-manned, then it could be on a temporary basis, like crew transfer.
A spaceship supposedly needs a crew to function. A craft can function with or without crew.
orb
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The question didn't specify whether that astronaut performs an EVA in a spacesuit (in space), or in an environmental suit in atmosphere of a planet (Mars I mentioned earlier), that's why it depends on the circumstance. That astronaut is only suited for an EVA.
[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_space]Space[/ame] by the definition is the void that exists beyond any celestial body including the Earth. Craft by the definition is used for means of transportation. EVA is work done by an astronaut away from the Earth, and outside of a spacecraft, which doesn't mean it can't be on another planet (the simulated "Mars 500" mission called an EVA the extravehicular activity on the simulated surface of Mars). Given that, a spacesuit can be a spacecraft, but an environmental suit an astronaut would use for an EVA on a surface of Mars wouldn't be a spacecraft, as it wasn't designed for moving in space.
And a bit of humor for the end - a vessel for transportation in mines (or a vessel carrying mines) should be called a minecraft. :lol:
[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outer_space]Space[/ame] by the definition is the void that exists beyond any celestial body including the Earth. Craft by the definition is used for means of transportation. EVA is work done by an astronaut away from the Earth, and outside of a spacecraft, which doesn't mean it can't be on another planet (the simulated "Mars 500" mission called an EVA the extravehicular activity on the simulated surface of Mars). Given that, a spacesuit can be a spacecraft, but an environmental suit an astronaut would use for an EVA on a surface of Mars wouldn't be a spacecraft, as it wasn't designed for moving in space.
And a bit of humor for the end - a vessel for transportation in mines (or a vessel carrying mines) should be called a minecraft. :lol:
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