Why didn't NASA make Boeing and SpaceX's spacesuits compatible?

NASA still hasn't decided whether Boeing Starliner astronauts will return on their original spacecraft or a SpaceX Crew Dragon. But recent developments, and NASA's mention of Butch and Suni doing an "unsuited return" have led to a lot of questions about why the launch and entry suits aren't compatible between Boeing and SpaceX. Let's dive into what that unsuited return means, how launch and entry suits are used, and why NASA didn't mandate compatibility here.

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⏱ TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Introduction
00:55 - Types of spacesuits
02:59 - Why astronauts need suits during re-entry
04:22 - Emergency scenario: ISS evacuation
07:11 - Why the suits aren't compatible

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[ARWest-bpyb]

The crew of Apollo 13 had the ultimate adaptor, Duct Tape!😄👍👍

[richb]

NASA achieved their goal in making Dragon and Starliner as distinct different as possible. The SpaceX dragon(s) work and the Boeing Starliner apparently does not work.

[robertmcdonnold]

If NASA wants to mitigate risk, tell boeing "BYE".

[MalcolmLangille]

Just send up suits on a supply mission.

[willdsm]

You would think that after Apollo 13, compatibility would be a prime concern for NASA. That suits are not compatible within different capsules is criminal.

[minigpracing]

Considering that both Boeing and SpaceX are "new" vehicles, NASA should have specified a common connector just for this reason.

[Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

_Crew Dragon_ and Starliner ARE dissimilar.

_Crew Dragon_ WORKS.

[daviddesrosiers]

Same kind of silo thinking that made the scrubber cannisters on the Apollo capsule square, while the ones on the LM were round. It's an echo of Apollo 13 all over again. Obviously not as critical, but the mentalities are the same. Failure of imagination.

[ReinReads]

Everyone is freaking out about an emergency return on Crew Dragon when this was the same plan from just over a year ago when Soyuz was damaged. NASA determined the risk was too high to return on the damaged Soyuz so Astronaut Frank Rubio would ride in Crew Dragon in case of an emergency. The Soyuz seat liner was moved to Crew Dragon below one of it’s seats where he would be strapped in. Since Crew Dragon was designed for up to 7 crew the 2 cosmonauts could have joined them but Russia decided that the Soyuz with unknown extent of damaged coolant was safe enough in case of an emergency. Politics, stubbornness, pride, … seemed to override crew safety. History repeating?

[joelstiffler]

Pretty sure that it wouldn't take a huge engineering program to fabricate a hose with the dragon attachment on one end and the Boeing suit connector on the other.

[RevFFL]

I believe there is only one instance of a crew dying during re-entry because the cabin depressurized. This was the Soyuz 11 return flight from the Salut 1 space station. The crew were not wearing suits. This probably led to the NASA requirement to wear pressure suits on return, and maybe other changes to capsule design.

[DireWlf]

If Butch and Suni come back on Dragon, a pair of IVA Suits will be sent up with the Dragon!
There are several different connectors for each EVA suit to supply, Air, Heat/Cooling, pressurisation and Comms. IVA suits do not have the Heat/Cooling I think (but they may have as the suits are to protect against module decompression such as an air leak and exposure to vacuum).
With so many countries now in space I think an international standard for the connectors should be agreed, So each of the spacefaring countries can rescue others it an emergency. After all we are all human and it would be a good way to score diplomatic brownie points.

[idiocracyBonanza]

Finally space channel with actual real person talking in front of camera and not AI monotone voice. Thank you

[robertanderson]

Engineering takes thoroughness. What's happening here? Trusting computer data that nobody verified? This should never have arisen. Never.

[noppornwongrassamee]

Ad Astra makes a good point about NASA not mandating standardized connectors because they don't know what a good connector design would even be. Especially when you're not dealing with just physical connectors, but data connections as well. So have every company make their own, and the best design would likely become the standard, just like a lot of high tech stuff on the ground.

I get the feeling though that SpaceX connection standards might become standard for the space industry as a whole...

[fepatton]

THANK YOU!! Everyone who has watched an “Oh no, Butch and Suni are stranded” video and made inane comments about return strategies, spacesuits, etc., need to watch this video. I worked for many years in the space industry and this captures the issues of contract requirements and NASA’s approach to risk management perfectly. There are too many YT’ers out there spreading misinformation or trying to rile people up. Cheers!

[jeffw]

The scenario with SpaceX returning the starliner crew will involve sending IVR suits for crew use.

[dave-in-nj]

take suits up.
also, there is power data and air.
there is no problem creating an interface to allow one to connect to the connections of the other.

[regolith]

1:42 "It has shocked a lot of people that SpaceX & Boeing suits are not compatible."
Nobody who has actually seen those suits are shocked. I mean... look at them.
I don't expect my iPhone to be compatible with a Commodore Vic-20.

[rudivandoornegat]

It's probable that a simple adapter won't work either. Because not only the suits are different, the systems are different too.