Two designs for a lightweight, low profile, mobile rescue apparatus providing a 15-minute air supply and self-contained two-way communications assembly are described. Units are designed for astronaut use in hazardous environments

Barnhart, W. L.

Clew, R. D.

Waddell, H. M., Jr.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

December 1970	 Brief 70-10680 
•	 NASA TECH BRIEF 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage commercial 
application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, 
Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief progam may be directed to the Tech-
nology Utilization Division, NASA, Code UT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
---
Astronaut Rescue Air Pack (ARAP) and Emergency Egress Air Pack (EEAP) 
Two designs for a lightweight low-profile, 
mobile rescue apparatus provide a 15-minute air 
supply and a self-contained, two-way communications 
assembly. The principle difference between the two 
units is that the ARAP is donned in advance of 
entry into a hazardous environment to perform an 
assigned task, while the EEAP is designed to be 
donned quickly be persons performing work in a 
normal environment which suddenly becomes haz-
ardous. 
The first unit consists of a face mask with a 
headset, a microphone, and electrical cable; three 
gas-flow regulators, two primary and one secondary; 
two air cylinders; a harness-and-hose assembly, 
to support one cylinder on each hip and a radio 
transceiver on a back strap, and a supplementary 
air supply, provided by 12 auxiliary cylinders paired 
on six manifolds. 
Substitution of the second unit for the first one 
is dictated by the situation. The second unit con-
sists of the same face mask with communications 
equipment and cable; one primary and one second-
ary gas-flow regulator; and a two-cylinder mani-
fold air supply with harness-and-hose assembly for 
secure mounting of the air supply and radio. 
Air is supplied to either rescue unit by opening 
a valve on the 9.9 standard cu. ft. cylinders, 
supplying pressure to the primary regulator. The 
2550 psig cylinder pressure is reduced to 140 ± 
14 psig and connected to the secondary regulator,
from which 2.8 standard Cu. ft. per minute of air for 
breathing is supplied to the positive-seal face mask 
at null pressure (0.0 in. of water). To exclude 
toxic vapors, the face mask employs an exhalation 
valve, with a cracking pressure of 2.3 ± 0.3 in. 
of water, to retain a positive gage pressure at all 
times. A low-profile alarm whistle warns the opera-
tor when the pressure in the cylinders reaches 450 
± 25 psig. Also, each cylinder is equipped with a 
low-profile stem-gage pressure indicator. 
Notes: 
I. These air packs, orginally designed for the 
Apollo program, may be of interest to fire 
fighters, mine disaster units, and rescue squads. 
2. No additional documentation is available. Speci-
fic questions, however, may be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Mail Code AD-TU 
Kennedy Space Center 
Kennedy Space Center, Florida 32899 
Reference: B70-10680 
Patent status: 
No patent action is contemplated by NASA. 
Source: W.L. Barnhart and R.D. Clew of 
Bendix Corporation and 
H.M. Waddell, Jr., of 
North American Rockwell Corp. 
under contract to 
Kennedy Space Center 
(KSC- 10522) 
Category 03 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National
	 Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States
	 information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
	 will be free from privately owned rights.
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19700000659 2020-03-17T01:03:43+00:00Z


Astronaut Rescue Air Pack (ARAP) and Emergency Egress Air Pack (EEAP)

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

NASA Technical Reports Server