Design of working alien spacesuit

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Design of working alien spacesuit

Anthony Appleyard
I am helping someone to make a CGI model of a UFO series alien in
spacesuit. I have been wondering what alterations in basic appearance
would have to be made from the studio prop to make a working
spacesuit, even given super-light-compact alien technology. It is
obvious to me that the movie prop suit has a neck hole big enough to
get the actor's head through, and the black shoulder bib is put on
over his head to cover that big hole, and the helmet rests on the bib
without any need to make it actually pressure-tight in real space.
The neck ring with the 4 long recesses seems to have a clamp in front
to fasten it. Has anyone got a clear view of that neck ring seen from
the back? The helmet splits into front and back halves, and the black
vertical band is the seal between them. (I once saw a picture of a
real fighter pilot's helmet that split like that.)
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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

jamesgibbon
"Anthony Appleyard" wrote:
> I am helping someone to make a CGI model of a UFO series alien in
> spacesuit. I have been wondering what alterations in basic
> appearance would have to be made from the studio prop to make a
> working spacesuit, even given super-light-compact alien
> technology. It is obvious to me that the movie prop suit has a
> neck hole big enough to get the actor's head through, and the
> black shoulder bib is put on over his head to cover that big hole,
> and the helmet rests on the bib without any need to make it
> actually pressure-tight in real space.

Possibly the _costume_ is designed as you describe Anthony, but the
spacesuit it is intended to represent isn't. It's definitely
pressure-tight, otherwise the Alien who spends time on the lunar
surface in SURVIVAL would die quite quickly.

In my opinion, given that Alien technology & materials are an
unknown quantity, there's no reason to assume that any alterations
to the basic appearance are required - it's fair enough to
assume that they would be capable of a working spacesuit design
that looks exactly as it's seen on the programme.

After all, if you go down the route of making the alien designs
look sensible from a human technology point of view, you'll have
to put wings (or rotor blades) on your UFO models as well .. :)

James
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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

SumitonJD
In reply to this post by Anthony Appleyard
Antony
I think the best way to work out how to make a working design of the
alien spacesuit would be the same way that Houdini said you should go about
figuring out how a magic trick was done. He said he did not try to figure out
how a trick was performed when he saw another magician do a totally new trick.
He said he would say to himself how would I do it. That is what you need to
do, figure out how to get it to work with the resources you have and work with
what you know how to do.

James K.


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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

harada357
In reply to this post by Anthony Appleyard
The design of the UFO alien Space Suit was a signature of the series.
The prop helmet separated in the middle along the black line and closed over
the actors head. I do not believe the actor could remove the helmet without the
separation in the middle. The front mask face plate had a section on some
models that could be filled with green liquid to simulate the Alien breathing
liquid inside the helmet. I looked forward to seeing the Alien in the Space
Suit - as I was in fifth grade when the series first came out. I liked the
design then, and I like the design now - for nostalgic flavor.
I do not think it is possible to work out a practical model of a
functioning alien space suit. Even the TV prop was not practical - if you were an
alien and trying to be stealthy to avoid shado - wearing a silver and red space
suit was not the way to blend into the background. It was fun to watch
anyway. I enjoy the program immensely, still watch the show.


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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

Anthony Appleyard
In reply to this post by jamesgibbon
--- James Gibbon <james.gibbon@v...> wrote:
> Possibly the _costume_ is designed as you describe Anthony, but the
> spacesuit it is intended to represent isn't. ...
> In my opinion, given that Alien technology & materials are an
> unknown quantity, ...
> After all, if you go down the route of making the alien designs
> look sensible from a human technology point of view, ...

There is a thin tube or cable from the top of the backpack to the
right side of the helmet. I suspect that that pipe should be wider,
and preferable two pipes to make a closed circuit. Somehow the
breathing liquid needs to be got rid of carbon dioxide and supplied
with more oxygen. Best ask on a technical diving email group to find
if there is a carbon dioxide absorbent that works when flooded with
water and can be regenerated afterwards onboard the spaceship by some
easy means such as heating or electrolysis.

Or, inside the helmet is a small device that turns exhaled water and
carbon dioxide back into oxygen and hydrogen and carbon. If so, (1)
it will need input energy, and (2) it would be useful if it turned
that hydrogen and carbon into glucose or similar, which could be
eaten by the spaceman.

If that regenerator device must be so big even with alien technology
that it must go in the backpack, see my first paragraph here.
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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

screwedmorethenonce
In reply to this post by harada357
Been thinking about what you said about the color scheme of the suits.
Leaving aside the fact that they were designed more for filming ease, then practical considerations, how do we know what the aliens consider to be camouflage? Perhaps they see in different wave lengths then we do and thus would have different ideals of what constitutes a subdued color.
After all Humans and dogs are the same in all most all respects, yet they see better then we do, even if it is only in black and white. They certainly have sharper senses then we do. Who knows what other differences there might be between the aliens and us.

[hidden email] wrote:
The design of the UFO alien Space Suit was a signature of the series.
The prop helmet separated in the middle along the black line and closed over
the actors head. I do not believe the actor could remove the helmet without the
separation in the middle. The front mask face plate had a section on some
models that could be filled with green liquid to simulate the Alien breathing
liquid inside the helmet. I looked forward to seeing the Alien in the Space
Suit - as I was in fifth grade when the series first came out. I liked the
design then, and I like the design now - for nostalgic flavor.
I do not think it is possible to work out a practical model of a
functioning alien space suit. Even the TV prop was not practical - if you were an
alien and trying to be stealthy to avoid shado - wearing a silver and red space
suit was not the way to blend into the background. It was fun to watch
anyway. I enjoy the program immensely, still watch the show.


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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

Mario M. Butter
"Most animals’ acuity isn’t quite that good. Dogs are probably around
20/75 or so, and cats perhaps 20/100, according to Dr. Miller. In other
words, your dog’s visual acuity is between three and four times worse
than yours, and your cat’s is five times worse."

and

"In dogs, studies have shown that they do use color vision, Dr. Miller
said. But they are red/green colorblind, which means that they can’t
distinguish between those two colors. Red and green probably appear gray
to them, Dr. Miller said."

http://www.vetcentric.com/magazine/magazineArticle.cfm?ARTICLEID=1144

Robert Thomas wrote:
> After all Humans and dogs are the same in all most all respects, yet
> they see better then we do, even if it is only in black and white. They
> certainly have sharper senses then we do. Who knows what other
> differences there might be between the aliens and us.

--
Mario
MIB # 2932

Mario M. Butter | .-.
[hidden email] | /v\ L I N U X
[hidden email] | // \\ >Phear the Penguin<
| /( )\
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constant; the population is growing.
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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

jamesgibbon
In reply to this post by Anthony Appleyard
Robert Thomas wrote:
> Been thinking about what you said about the color scheme of the suits.
> Leaving aside the fact that they were designed more for filming ease,
> then practical considerations, how do we know what the aliens consider
> to be camouflage? Perhaps they see in different wave lengths then we do
> and thus would have different ideals of what constitutes a subdued color.

We'd know they weren't colour blind if they had matching socks. Or maybe
they go by thickness.
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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

davrecon-3
In reply to this post by screwedmorethenonce

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Thomas" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Thursday, November 20, 2003 12:48 PM
Subject: Re: [SHADO] Design of working alien spacesuit


> Been thinking about what you said about the color scheme of the suits.
> Leaving aside the fact that they were designed more for filming ease, then
practical considerations, how do we know what the aliens consider to be
camouflage? Perhaps they see in different wave lengths then we do and thus
would have different ideals of what constitutes a subdued color.
> After all Humans and dogs are the same in all most all respects, yet they
see better then we do, even if it is only in black and white. They certainly
have sharper senses then we do. Who knows what other differences there might
be between the aliens and us.
>

----------------------------------------------------------

....You would think that a sufficiently advanced star travelling race
such as them, especially since they make their living extracting donor
organs from us, would understand the operating capacities of our eyes, and
they'd know what colors we see and such.

I would tend to think the suits are red for safety purposes, easily
spottable on the drab lunar surface. But then, of course, if you're in the
alien army, you don't want to be easily spotted.

Bottom line; I guess they are red so they "look cool" and stand out from
the costumes of the good guys in the television series.

Dave H.
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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

Anthony Appleyard
--- "davrecon" <davrecon@n...> wrote:-
> ... You would think that a sufficiently advanced star travelling
> race such as them, ...

... would make their spacesuits far too tough to tear from a dog bite
(as happened in one episode), and the helmet faceplates far too
strong to break by hitting a tree root when the alien trips (as
happened in one episode), and likely also tough enough to be
bulletproof.

> ... red for safety purposes, ... if you're in the alien army, you
> don't want to be easily spotted.

In the magazine Flightpath is a story "The Hunting of Eagle X-ray" is
a UFO text story set in Antarctica where some aliens and a SHADO team
have to join forces against a diffferent off-world threat, and in it
the UFO-aliens wore white spacesuits for samouflage.

I read that the prop suits were made of red lycra.

> I guess they are red so they "look cool" and stand out from
> the costumes of the good guys in the television series.

Many impracticalities come from the search for "coolness".

"Mario M. Butter" <mbutter@s...> qouted from Dr.Miller:-
> Most animals' acuity isn't quite that good. Dogs are probably around
> 20/75 or so, and cats perhaps 20/100, ...

Perhaps it depends on the size of the eyeball. Has that eyesight test
been done with cows or horses?

harada357@a... wrote:-
> The design of the UFO alien Space Suit was a signature of the
> series. The prop helmet separated in the middle along the black
> line and closed over the actors head ...

I saw a picture of a real fighter pilot helmet that split like that.
The halves were joined by a hinge at te top of the head. It was
called a clamshell helmet.

Have ano of you heard of anyone making a reproduction (prop) UFO
alien spacesuit? Full size, not CGI mesh model, not toy size.
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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

Paul Carroll
In reply to this post by davrecon-3
--- In [hidden email], "davrecon" <davrecon@n...> wrote:
> Bottom line; I guess they are red so they "look cool" and
stand out from
> the costumes of the good guys in the television series.

Or maybe Sylvia got a good buy on red fabric that week...
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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

spywriter33
In reply to this post by Anthony Appleyard
I've read much ado about the aliens' space suits. Consider this possibility:
what if something in Earth's atmosphere weakens the material used to
construct the aliens' suits, thereby rendering it fragile?

-----Original Message-----
From: Anthony Appleyard [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2003 2:04 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [SHADO] Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

--- "davrecon" <davrecon@n...> wrote:-
> ... You would think that a sufficiently advanced star travelling
> race such as them, ...

... would make their spacesuits far too tough to tear from a dog bite
(as happened in one episode), and the helmet faceplates far too
strong to break by hitting a tree root when the alien trips (as
happened in one episode), and likely also tough enough to be
bulletproof.

> ... red for safety purposes, ... if you're in the alien army, you
> don't want to be easily spotted.

In the magazine Flightpath is a story "The Hunting of Eagle X-ray" is
a UFO text story set in Antarctica where some aliens and a SHADO team
have to join forces against a diffferent off-world threat, and in it
the UFO-aliens wore white spacesuits for samouflage.

I read that the prop suits were made of red lycra.

> I guess they are red so they "look cool" and stand out from
> the costumes of the good guys in the television series.

Many impracticalities come from the search for "coolness".

"Mario M. Butter" <mbutter@s...> qouted from Dr.Miller:-
> Most animals' acuity isn't quite that good. Dogs are probably around
> 20/75 or so, and cats perhaps 20/100, ...

Perhaps it depends on the size of the eyeball. Has that eyesight test
been done with cows or horses?

harada357@a... wrote:-
> The design of the UFO alien Space Suit was a signature of the
> series. The prop helmet separated in the middle along the black
> line and closed over the actors head ...

I saw a picture of a real fighter pilot helmet that split like that.
The halves were joined by a hinge at te top of the head. It was
called a clamshell helmet.

Have ano of you heard of anyone making a reproduction (prop) UFO
alien spacesuit? Full size, not CGI mesh model, not toy size.






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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

Tafkar
In reply to this post by Anthony Appleyard
CONTENTS DELETED
The author has deleted this message.
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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

davrecon-3
In reply to this post by Anthony Appleyard

----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony Appleyard" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2003 5:03 AM
Subject: [SHADO] Re: Design of working alien spacesuit


> 20/75 or so, and cats perhaps 20/100, ...
>
> Perhaps it depends on the size of the eyeball. Has that eyesight test
> been done with cows or horses?
>
>

-------------------------------------------------------

Doubtful, as birds have smaller eyes, and some soaring birds have
eyesight that puts ours to shame.

--------------------------------------------------------

>... would make their spacesuits far too tough to tear from a >dog bite (as
happened in one episode), and the helmet >faceplates far too strong to break
by hitting a tree root when >the alien trips (as happened in one episode),
and likely also >tough enough to be bulletproof.

---------------------------------------------------------

....All things inherently necessary in any space suit. They have to be
tough to put up with internal gas pressures inside them, and not be
vulnerable to tears from rocks or sharp edges on the surface or in an EVA.
Even a suit pressurized to only 1/3 normal atmosphere has a lot of internal
tensions on the fabric and joints.
For any commercial grade suit used in EVA, you'd need body armour for
micrometeoroid protection in space....a form of bullet proofing....

Dave H.
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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

Mario M. Butter
Read the article I linked. Horses are better, but not as good as humans.

>Perhaps it depends on the size of the eyeball. Has that eyesight test
>been done with cows or horses?

--
Mario
MIB # 2932

Mario M. Butter | .-.
[hidden email] | /v\ L I N U X
[hidden email] | // \\ >Phear the Penguin<
| /( )\
#include <std_disclaimer.h> | ^^-^^

http://mario.silent-tower.org/ <- Public Key Here
http://ns-game.org/ <- Gaming Group Info Here

Printed on 100% recyclable phosphor.
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Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

spywriter33
In reply to this post by Tafkar
Thanks for recalling that to my attention. I remember is some episodes, that
the UFO's that make it to the surface, seem to explode after a certain
length of time.

-----Original Message-----
From: Hemmings, R.K. [mailto:[hidden email]]
Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 9:20 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: RE: [SHADO] Re: Design of working alien spacesuit

> -----Original Message-----
> From: spywriter33 [mailto:[hidden email]]
> Sent: 26 November 2003 03:13
> To: [hidden email]
> Subject: RE: [SHADO] Re: Design of working alien spacesuit
>
>
> I've read much ado about the aliens' space suits. Consider
> this possibility:
> what if something in Earth's atmosphere weakens the material used to
> construct the aliens' suits, thereby rendering it fragile?
[snip]

A very good point, that.
As the alien UFO craft certainly do degrade after a short
time in the Earth's atmosphere (mentioned in several
episodes), it's perfectly within reason that the suits
might do, too.
--
Rob




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