PPD-10 Hittchhiker Storage Container's airlock

[CaptainTurbomuffin]

As you have may noticed, the PPD-10 Hittchhiker Storage Container's airlock is too small to have an airlock there, it's rather a simple door opening to space, decompressing the cabin at going to EVA. Also, this is the pod where kerbals wear no helmets that'd protect them from this. What do you think?

[Cmdr. Arn1e]

I think you need to upload a picture before you can link to it, unless you are running your own server!

Lots of people use Imgur or Photobucket or something, then use the [ img ] tags

[jfull]

It always amuses me when people try to link a file location on their own computer...

Anyway, yeah, you'd need to upload it somewhere.

On topic, almost every single pod in KSP has a hatch that lacks an airlock. I don't think this is going to change any time soon, unless they implement connected-living-space-like mechanics and add dedicated airlock modules.

[Red Iron Crown]

They all wear their helmets all the time anyway, perhaps they don't even pressurize their living space.

[Brofessional]

The Apollo LEM didn't have an airlock either if I'm not mistaken.

[Zephram Kerman]

I've always just assumed (uh oh) that the crew would put on helmets and pump most of the cabin air into tanks before the door is opened. It remains a mystery to me how they know ahead of time that I was going to click EVA.

[ManaaniWanderer]

I've always just assumed (uh oh) that the crew would put on helmets and pump most of the cabin air into tanks before the door is opened. It remains a mystery to me how they know ahead of time that I was going to click EVA.

They don't, they just train for years to be able to get their helmets on, de-compress the cabin, maneuver so that right guy can get out, then return to their seats and re compress before removing their helmets in approx 0.5 seconds

[razark]

The Apollo LEM didn't have an airlock either if I'm not mistaken.

The Command Module also lacked an airlock, as did the Gemini capsules.

Spacewalks were accomplished with all of these crafts, however.

[Roastduck]

They don't, they just train for years to be able to get their helmets on, de-compress the cabin, maneuver so that right guy can get out, then return to their seats and re compress before removing their helmets in approx 0.5 seconds

whereas humans play tag or hide and seek, kerbal children treat getting into and out of space suits as a game

[Sandworm]

Am I correct in saying that, other than Voskhod's sleeping-bag lock-out thing, no craft had a dedicated air-lock prior to shuttle?

[razark]

Am I correct in saying that, other than Voskhod's sleeping-bag lock-out thing, no craft had a dedicated air-lock prior to shuttle?

Depends on how you define "craft". The Skylab station had an airlock to allow EVAs, but do you consider a station to be a "craft"?

[Whirligig Girl]

I think once Kerbals transfering between command pods is implemented, Airlock parts will be able to get Kerbals out of a ship as well and the HSC and Command Pods have a longer time to get out.

[Wallace]

I don't think they need to put on their space suits, the kerbals that aren't getting out just hide inside one of the cupboards (which are sealed) when it's de-pressurised.

[Skorpychan]

They wear suits anyway, and storage cans are so flimsy they must be made of corrugated cardboard anyway. I think they just don't bother to take their helmets off, or to properly pressurise the cans.

My theory is that kerbals don't need to breathe for anything beyond speaking. They're green for photosynthesis, and they reproduce through spreading spores. Asexual budding can happen under the right conditions, as seen in the recruitment screen.

[liweih]

Why must we assume that kerbal needs oxygen? They can survive in vacuum with no food and water for years in deep space. We must assume they have their personal fusion core.

[No one]

Why must we assume that kerbal needs oxygen? They can survive in vacuum with no food and water for years in deep space. We must assume they have their personal fusion core.

Because in EVA they make comments that atmospheres are "breathable" or "not breathable". Of course, they might not NEED to breathe, but they definitely can.

Same with eating.

[Jouni]

Why must we assume that kerbal needs oxygen? They can survive in vacuum with no food and water for years in deep space. We must assume they have their personal fusion core.

Because this is a kind of realistic game about spaceflight with cartoony graphics. It wouldn't make any sense to make kerbals too different from humans.

[sal_vager]

Am I correct in saying that, other than Voskhod's sleeping-bag lock-out thing, no craft had a dedicated air-lock prior to shuttle?

I'm pretty sure this counts as an airlock in space, might not be the first though

[xcorps]

Am I correct in saying that, other than Voskhod's sleeping-bag lock-out thing, no craft had a dedicated air-lock prior to shuttle?

Skylab had an airlock module.

And the M1.

http://www.astronautix.com/craft/apollom1.htm

Probably doesn't count though, since it never flew?

Edited July 6, 2014 by xcorps

[Starwaster]

Why must we assume that kerbal needs oxygen? They can survive in vacuum with no food and water for years in deep space. We must assume they have their personal fusion core.

If you're wondering how they eat and breathe, and other science facts, just repeat to yourself, "It's just a game, I really should try to relax!"

(apologies to MST3K)

[Ruthgar]

Technically submarines have had airlocks since before WW2, as the purpose of an airlock is to equalize the pressure from inside to outside the craft or vice versa for the purpose of personel or equipment entering/exiting the craft. Course aside from special ops missions, the only time they ever actually used them as airlocks, was to try and escape their sub as it was either trapped on the bottom, or sinking.

But yes, Skylab, then the Shuttle, then Mir were the first three dedicated craft to actually have airlocks in space. though I think there was an orbital test of a lander during the early apollo missions to test the viability of actually using the lander to depressurize it, get out, get back in, then repressurize it. All while it was attached to the command module. SO technically the Apollo program might have had the first actual airlock, in the form of the lander attached to the command module.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Ruthgar

[Javster]

The Command Module also lacked an airlock, as did the Gemini capsules.

Spacewalks were accomplished with all of these crafts, however.

The Soviet spacecrafts had inferior instruments which couldn't handle the vacuum, so they developed airlocks.

The US spacecrafts had better instruments, so they could just depressurise the cabin.

[razark]

The Soviet spacecrafts had inferior instruments which couldn't handle the vacuum, so they developed airlocks.

The US spacecrafts had better instruments, so they could just depressurise the cabin.

Interesting. I didn't know that, but I've not studied much in detail on the Soviet programs.

[HeadHunter67]

I think there was an orbital test of a lander during the early apollo missions to test the viability of actually using the lander to depressurize it, get out, get back in, then repressurize it. All while it was attached to the command module. SO technically the Apollo program might have had the first actual airlock, in the form of the lander attached to the command module.

That would be Apollo 9 - David Scott and Rusty Schweickart did the EVAs in the first spacesuits with independent life support. It was also the first time that American spacecraft were given names by the crew (the CM was Gumdrop and the LEM was Spider), the first docking of two spacecraft with crew transfer (Scott was also aboard Gemini VIII with Armstrong, the first docking in orbit). Lots of firsts on that mission. (Scott was also the first man to drive on the Moon).

[johnnyhandsome]

Hey, couple of clarifications: David Scott's suit was did not have independent life support. The first spacecraft given names by a multi number crew was Gemini 3, which was named "Molly Brown". NASA didn't find that humorous at all so didn't allow future crews to name their spacecraft. Otherwise Gemini 4 would have been named "America." NASA still didn't like the 'light' names of Apollo 9 or Apollo 10's 'Charlie Brown' and 'Snoopy'.

The Soviets did the first docking and crew transfer on Soyuz 4 and 5, in January of '69, two months before Apollo 9, though the transfer was done by EVA. Technically it might be the first airlock.

<em>Am I correct in saying that, other than Voskhod's sleeping-bag lock-out thing, no craft had a dedicated air-lock prior to shuttle?</em>

The Salyut space stations, the first space stations ever, had an airlock and depressurization compartment.