An extravehicular life support system (ELSS) provides breathing oxygen, carbon dioxide removal, temperature regulation, and communication for an astronaut operating outside a spacecraft. Usually integrated into a backpack, it creates a self-contained, pressurized environment independent of the vehicle. Engineers design these systems with multiple redundancies because a failure in the vacuum of space is immediately lethal.
Heard on the job
Connect the umbilical and verify the ELSS is providing nominal cooling before opening the outer hatch.
Also heard as
- PLSS