@nasajohnson

Houston, do you copy? Communication is essential for @nasaastronauts in orbit, especially during a spacewalk. In the past, a communications cap was worn under the astronaut's helmet that contained earphones and a microphones enabling the astronaut to talk to other crew members and Mission Control teams on Earth. The cap connected to the radio on the spacesuit and was sometimes called the “Snoopy cap” because of its resemblance to the aviator cap worn by the cartoon character. Moving suits into the future, the xEMU reference design spacesuit developed by NASA includes an upgraded audio system and embedded voice activated microphones, all without the cap. The dilemma? The audio system can only work properly if the radio signals can reach the new system. This photo pictures the xEMU antennas being tested right here at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. The test took place inside the Anechoic Chamber to inspect multilayer insulation keep-out zones for the antennas. The chamber isolates the antenna from any radio wave interference. The design, data, and knowledge learned from NASA’s xEMU is being provided to commercial industry to help create the new generation of spacesuits. This photograph by NASA’s Norah Moran placed in NASA’s Photographer of the Year awards.