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ILC Dover, LP (also known as ILC) is an engineering development and manufacturing company based in Frederica, Delaware. ILC specializes in the use of high-performance flexible materials, serving the aerospace, personal protection, and pharmaceutical industries.

Best known for making space suits for NASA, ILC outfitted every United States astronaut in the Apollo program, including the twelve that walked on the moon. ILC also designed and manufactured the Space Suit Assembly portion of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), worn by astronauts during performance of extra-vehicular activity (EVA) on Space Shuttle missions and on the International Space Station.

Other ILC products include the airbag landing devices for Mars Pathfinder and Mars Exploration Rover (MER) missions; lighter-than-air vehicles, including airships, aerostats, and zeppelins; chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) masks and hood systems; and flexible powder-containment solutions for the pharmaceutical industry.

History

ILC Dover initially formed as a branch of the International Latex Corporation, the company founded in 1932 by Abram Spanel. The International Latex Corporation supported American efforts in World War II with latex products such as attack boats, life rafts, and canteens. In 1947, the International Latex Corporation split into four divisions, one of which, the Metals Division, eventually became ILC Dover.^[1]^[2]

Located at that time in Dover, Delaware, ILC's earliest work was on high-altitude pressure helmets and high-altitude pressure suits for the U.S Navy and Air Force. In 1965, ILC (then known as the Government and Industrial Division of the International Latex Corporation) was awarded the prime contract for the Apollo Lunar Space Suit.^[3] ILC successfully designed and manufactured the suit worn by astronauts in the Apollo program, including Neil Armstrong during the first moonwalk. By 1969, ILC's workforce expanded to 900 employees as it supported the space program through production of Apollo space suits and a sun shield to protect Skylab, the first U.S. space station.^[4]^[5]

In 1974, the Skylab program ended, and ILC faced an immediate need to diversify their product offerings. That same year, ILC delivered its first aerostat to the U.S. Air Force for use at Cudjoe Key Air Force Station.^[6] Subsequently, they entered the field of personal protective equipment, paving the way for development of industrial protection suits, such as the Chemturion Suit line. In later years, their development of protective equipment expanded into type classified military chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) masks and hood systems (for example, the M43, M40, MBU-19/P). The M40/M42 masks became the standard field mask of the U.S. Army, and, as of 2010, over two million had been produced and sold.^[7]^[8]^[9]

In 1977, ILC, in conjunction with Hamilton Standard, of Windsor Locks, CT, began development and manufacture of the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), the suit worn by astronauts during Space Shuttle and Space Station extra-vehicular activity (EVA). ILC continued its support of the space program, while expanding its personal protection and lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicle lines.^[10]^[11]

In 1994 and 1995, ILC was awarded contracts with the German company Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik GmbH and the American Blimp Corporation for production of envelopes for each company. Over the following decade, ILC's production of LTA vehicles continued, and in 2001, ILC, in colaboration with TCOM and Uretek, developed and manufactured the world's largest pressurized LTA vehicle for CargoLifter in Brand, Germany.^[12]^[13]^[14]

In 1994, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory contracted ILC to develop and manufacture the airbag landing system for the Mars Pathfinder Mission, which successfully cushioned Pathfinder's landing on July 4, 1997. In 2003, ILC's airbag system enabled the safe landing of the twin rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, during the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Missions.^[15]^[16]^[17]

In the 1990s ILC entered the pharmaceutical industry with the design and production of flexible containment systems, used to improve operator safety and ensure product purity during the manufacturing processing of potent pharmaceutical agents.^[18]^[19]

Space Suits

Since the beginning of the Apollo Program, ILC has been the designer and producer of the space suit pressure garment for NASA. Throughout Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle, and Space Station missions, the space suit has been required to protect astronauts from hazards faced in earth’s orbit and on the surface of the moon. These hazards include the vacuum environment of space, temperature extremes ranging from -250 degrees Fahrenheit to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, the impact of micrometeoroids and orbital debris, and lunar dust. Above the 63,000 foot threshold, spacesuits are needed to supply oxygen and to provide a pressurized environment around the body to keep body fluids in a liquid state.^[20]

Apollo/Skylab

ILC began delivering spacesuits for the Apollo program in 1966. Apollo spacesuits were custom-made for each of the astronauts in the program, and for each of the twelve manned flights carried out, ILC produced fifteen suits. Three suits were made for each of the three astronauts comprising the crew (one suit for flight, one for training, one for back-up) and two suits were made for each of the three back-up crew members (one suit for flight and one for training). Twenty extra-vehicular activities (EVAs) were performed during the Apollo program, and ten were performed during Skylab. The Apollo suits were used for a total of 160 hours on the lunar surface.^[21] ^[22] ^[23]

Shuttle

The space suit used for EVA during shuttle missions is the Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), which is comprised of two parts: the space suit assembly (SSA), manufactured by ILC, and the life support system (LSS), manufactured by Hamilton Sundstrand (previously Hamilton Standard). The SSA is made of individual components which are assembled to fit each astronaut. Since the first shuttle EVA in 1983, 216 U.S. astronauts have performed a total of 74 shuttle EVAs, combining for greater than 470 hours in space.^[24]^[25]^[26]

International Space Station

The shuttle EMU was improved for use on the International Space Station (ISS). The suits for the ISS were modified to provide greater mobility, to afford better tactile capabilities of the glove, and to provide an increased operational life. As of Feb. 2011, a total of 104 EVAs on the ISS had occurred, for greater than 650 total hours in space.^[27]^[28]

Mark III

The Mark III (MKIII) is an experimental suit that was designed by ILC for use on the space station. The suit is a combination of hard and soft elements, designed for pressurization to 8.3 psi. Shuttle suits are pressurized to 4.3 psi, and astronauts are required to breathe pure oxygen for several hours prior to EVA to remove all dissolved nitrogen from body fluids (to prevent “the bends” upon de-pressurization). Pressurization to 8.3 psi would eliminate the need for a lengthy pre-breathing time. The MKIII has since been used in test programs that study space suit operations in the lunar and Mars surface environments.^[29]^[30]

Lunar/Mars suit prototype (I Suit)

The I-Suit is a lightweight experimental suit designed and manufactured by ILC to be used for high-mobility surface operations in gravity, such as on the lunar surface or on the surface of Mars. The I-suit is also being studied for use with next generation NASA launch vehicles and commercial space vehicles.^[31]

Lighter-Than-Air Structures

Since the early 1970s, ILC has been designing and manufacturing softgoods structures for aerostats, airships, blimps, and other lighter-than-air (LTA) structures. ILC is the world’s largest producer of modern aerostat and airship envelopes.^[32]

Airships and Blimps

Airships and blimps are used for a variety of applications including transport and tourism; advertising; and surveillance. ILC’s airship products are used by the U.S. military, the American Blimp Corporation, and Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik GmbH (Germany).^[33]^[34]

High Altitude Airships

Since the early 1980s, ILC has been involved in the design and development of high altitude airships. The advent and growth of the cellular phone market renewed interest in the use of high altitude airships as an economical alternative to satellites. In the past decade, ILC has worked with Lockheed Martin to support several US government-funded high-altitude airship (HAA) programs to define the system for a mobile platform capable of carrying various payloads, including communications and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) sensors.^[35]

Tethered Surveillance Aerostats

Aerostats are typically utilized as platforms to carry surveillance radars to altitudes reaching 15,000 feet while tethered to the ground by a single tether. ILC has manufactured aerostats with volumes ranging from 56,000 to 595,000 cubic feet. The length of these aerostats ranges from 109 feet to 240 feet.^[36]

Heavy Lift Airships and Balloons

The lift generated by a helium filled LTA vehicle can allow heavy loads to be transported in an economical manner. In the early 1990s, ILC was involved in the design and manufacture of logging balloons, devices used in the northwestern U.S. and western Canada for the purpose of retrieving logs from mountainous areas inaccessible by road. ^[37]

References

^ ILC Dover, "ILC Milestones". Retrieved on 2011-02-01
^ Jewish Virtual Library, "Obituary, Abram Nathaniel Spanel, Encyclopedia Judaica". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ NASA Tech Briefs, "Space Suit Spins". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ Bivens, Terry, "ICL (sic) Dover known for Spacesuit Design, Houston Chronicle, 12/6/87", Houston Chronicle Archives. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ ILC Dover, "ILC Milestones". Retrieved on 2011-02-01
^ ILC Dover, "ILC Milestones". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ Durantine, Peter, "This Suit Was Made for Walkin', The News Journal, 5/5/06", Delaware Online. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ Bivens, Terry, "ICL (sic) Dover known for Spacesuit Design, Houston Chronicle, 12/6/87", Houston Chronicle Archives. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ U.S. Army Fact Files, "Weapons Systems, Field Protection Mask, M40/42 Series". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ NASA Tech Briefs, "Space Suit Spins". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ Bivens, Terry, "ICL (sic) Dover known for Spacesuit Design, Houston Chronicle, 12/6/87", Houston Chronicle Archives. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ Airship Blimp Resources, "ILC Dover". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ Frembes, Linda Seid, "ILC Dover, Weaving through Space, The Manufacturer". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ ILC Dover, "ILC Milestones". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ Durantine, Peter, "This Suit Was Made for Walkin', The News Journal, 5/5/06", Delaware Online. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ NASA Tech Briefs, "Space Suit Spins". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ Space Daily, "ILC Dover Airbags Cushion MER Spirit Landing on Mars, Mars Daily". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ O'Hanlon, John, "ILC Dover, Giant Strides, The Manufacturer". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ NASA Tech Briefs, "Space Suit Spins". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ NASA History Program Office, Human Space Flight, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ NASA History Program Office, Human Space Flight, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10
^ ILC Dover, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ NASA, Directorates, Space Operations. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ NASA History Program Office, Human Space Flight, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ ILC Dover, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ NASA, Directorates, Space Operations. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ ILC Dover Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ NASA, Directorates, Space Operations. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ NASA History Program Office, Human Space Flight, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ ILC Dover, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ ILC Dover, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ ILC Dover, Lighter-Than-Air-Structures. Retrieved 2011-02-01.
^ ILC Dover, Lighter-Than-Air-Structures. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.
^ Bolkcom, Christopher, "Potential Military Use of Airships and Aerostats," CRS Report for Congress. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ ILC Dover, Lighter-Than-Air Structures. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ ILC Dover, Lighter-Than-Air Structures. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.
^ ILC Dover, Lighter-Than-Air Structures. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

External links

[1] ILC Dover, "ILC Milestones". Retrieved on 2011-02-01

[2] Jewish Virtual Library, "Obituary, Abram Nathaniel Spanel, Encyclopedia Judaica". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[3] NASA Tech Briefs, "Space Suit Spins". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[4] Bivens, Terry, "ICL (sic) Dover known for Spacesuit Design, Houston Chronicle, 12/6/87", Houston Chronicle Archives. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[5] ILC Dover, "ILC Milestones". Retrieved on 2011-02-01

[6] ILC Dover, "ILC Milestones". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[7] Durantine, Peter, "This Suit Was Made for Walkin', The News Journal, 5/5/06", Delaware Online. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[8] Bivens, Terry, "ICL (sic) Dover known for Spacesuit Design, Houston Chronicle, 12/6/87", Houston Chronicle Archives. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[9] U.S. Army Fact Files, "Weapons Systems, Field Protection Mask, M40/42 Series". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[10] NASA Tech Briefs, "Space Suit Spins". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[11] Bivens, Terry, "ICL (sic) Dover known for Spacesuit Design, Houston Chronicle, 12/6/87", Houston Chronicle Archives. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[12] Airship Blimp Resources, "ILC Dover". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[13] Frembes, Linda Seid, "ILC Dover, Weaving through Space, The Manufacturer". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[14] ILC Dover, "ILC Milestones". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[15] Durantine, Peter, "This Suit Was Made for Walkin', The News Journal, 5/5/06", Delaware Online. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[16] NASA Tech Briefs, "Space Suit Spins". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[17] Space Daily, "ILC Dover Airbags Cushion MER Spirit Landing on Mars, Mars Daily". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[18] O'Hanlon, John, "ILC Dover, Giant Strides, The Manufacturer". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[19] NASA Tech Briefs, "Space Suit Spins". Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[20] NASA History Program Office, Human Space Flight, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[21] NASA History Program Office, Human Space Flight, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10

[22] ILC Dover, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[23] NASA, Directorates, Space Operations. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[24] NASA History Program Office, Human Space Flight, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[25] ILC Dover, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[26] NASA, Directorates, Space Operations. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[27] ILC Dover Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[28] NASA, Directorates, Space Operations. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[29] NASA History Program Office, Human Space Flight, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[30] ILC Dover, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[31] ILC Dover, Spacesuits. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[32] ILC Dover, Lighter-Than-Air-Structures. Retrieved 2011-02-01.

[33] ILC Dover, Lighter-Than-Air-Structures. Retrieved on 2011-02-01.

[34] Bolkcom, Christopher, "Potential Military Use of Airships and Aerostats," CRS Report for Congress. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[35] ILC Dover, Lighter-Than-Air Structures. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[36] ILC Dover, Lighter-Than-Air Structures. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

[37] ILC Dover, Lighter-Than-Air Structures. Retrieved on 2011-02-10.

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@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 Located at that time in [[Dover, Delaware]], ILC's earliest work was on high-altitude pressure helmets and high-altitude pressure suits for the U.S Navy and Air Force.  In 1965, ILC (then known as the Government and Industrial Division of the International Latex Corporation) was awarded the prime contract for the [[Apollo/Skylab A7L|Apollo Lunar Space Suit]].<ref>NASA Tech Briefs, [http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/1535?task=view "Space Suit Spins"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref>  ILC successfully designed and manufactured the suit worn by astronauts in the Apollo program, including Neil Armstrong during the first moonwalk.  By 1969, ILC's workforce expanded to 900 employees as it supported the space program through production of Apollo space suits and a sun shield to protect Skylab, the first U.S. space station.<ref>Bivens, Terry, [http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1987_507484/icl-dover-known-for-spacesuit-design.html "ICL (sic) Dover known for Spacesuit Design, ''Houston Chronicle'', 12/6/87"], Houston Chronicle Archives.  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref><ref>ILC Dover, [http://www.ilcdover.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=trees.treePage&p=955-255-1911 "ILC Milestones"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01</ref>
+[[File:M40 gasmask.jpg|thumb|M40 Gas Mask]]
 In 1974, the [[Skylab]] program ended, and ILC faced an immediate need to diversify their product offerings.  That same year, ILC delivered its first [[aerostat]] to the U.S. Air Force for use at Cudjoe Key Air Force Station.<ref>ILC Dover, [http://www.ilcdover.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=trees.treePage&p=955-255-1911 "ILC Milestones"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref>  Subsequently, they entered the field of [[personal protective equipment]], paving the way for development of industrial protection suits, such as the Chemturion Suit line.  In later years, their development of protective equipment expanded into type classified military [[chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear|chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN)]] masks and hood systems (for example, the M43, M40, MBU-19/P).  The [[M40 Field Protective Mask|M40/M42 masks]] became the standard field mask of the U.S. Army, and, as of 2010, over two million had been produced and sold.<ref>Durantine, Peter, [http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060505/LIFE/605050330/-1/NEWS01 "This Suit Was Made for Walkin', ''The News Journal'', 5/5/06"], Delaware Online.  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref><ref>Bivens, Terry, [http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1987_507484/icl-dover-known-for-spacesuit-design.html "ICL (sic) Dover known for Spacesuit Design, ''Houston Chronicle'', 12/6/87"], Houston Chronicle Archives.  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref><ref>U.S. Army Fact Files, [http://www.army.mil/factfiles/equipment/nbc/m40.html "Weapons Systems, Field Protection Mask, M40/42 Series"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref>
 In 1977, ILC, in conjunction with [[Hamilton Standard]], of Windsor Locks, CT, began development and manufacture of the [[Extravehicular Mobility Unit]] (EMU), the suit worn by astronauts during [[Space Shuttle]] and [[Space Station]] [[extra-vehicular activity]] (EVA).  ILC continued its support of the space program, while expanding its personal protection and lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicle lines.<ref>NASA Tech Briefs, [http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/1535?task=view "Space Suit Spins"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref><ref>Bivens, Terry, [http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1987_507484/icl-dover-known-for-spacesuit-design.html "ICL (sic) Dover known for Spacesuit Design, ''Houston Chronicle'', 12/6/87"], Houston Chronicle Archives.  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref>
+[[File:Challenger Memorial Station At Meridiani Planum.jpg|thumb|left|Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity Airbag on the surface of Mars]]
 In 1994 and 1995, ILC was awarded contracts with the German company Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik GmbH and the [[American Blimp Corporation]] for production of envelopes for each company.  Over the following decade, ILC's production of LTA vehicles continued, and in 2001, ILC, in colaboration with TCOM and Uretek, developed and manufactured the world's largest pressurized LTA vehicle for [[CargoLifter]] in Brand, Germany.<ref>Airship Blimp Resources, [http://www.myairship.com/database/ilcdover.html "ILC Dover"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref><ref>Frembes, Linda Seid, [http://www.themanufacturer.com/us/profile/2226/ILC_Dover "ILC Dover, Weaving through Space, ''The Manufacturer''"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref><ref>ILC Dover, [http://www.ilcdover.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=trees.treePage&p=955-255-1911 "ILC Milestones"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref>
-In 1994, NASA's [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]] contracted ILC to develop and manufacture the airbag landing system for the [[Mars Pathfinder|Mars Pathfinder Mission]], which successfully cushioned Pathfinder's landing on July 4, 1997.  In 2003, ILC's airbag system enabled the safe landing of the twin rovers, [[Spirit rover|Spirit]] and [[Opportunity rover|Opportunity]], during the [[Mars Exploration Rover|Mars Explorer Rover (MER) Missions]].<ref>Durantine, Peter, [http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060505/LIFE/605050330/-1/NEWS01 "This Suit Was Made for Walkin', ''The News Journal'', 5/5/06"], Delaware Online.  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref><ref>NASA Tech Briefs, [http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/1535?task=view "Space Suit Spins"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref><ref>Space Daily, [http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-mera-04j.html "ILC Dover Airbags Cushion MER Spirit Landing on Mars, ''Mars Daily''"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref>
+In 1994, NASA's [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]] contracted ILC to develop and manufacture the airbag landing system for the [[Mars Pathfinder|Mars Pathfinder Mission]], which successfully cushioned Pathfinder's landing on July 4, 1997.  In 2003, ILC's airbag system enabled the safe landing of the twin rovers, [[Spirit rover|Spirit]] and [[Opportunity rover|Opportunity]], during the [[Mars Exploration Rover|Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Missions]].<ref>Durantine, Peter, [http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060505/LIFE/605050330/-1/NEWS01 "This Suit Was Made for Walkin', ''The News Journal'', 5/5/06"], Delaware Online.  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref><ref>NASA Tech Briefs, [http://www.techbriefs.com/component/content/1535?task=view "Space Suit Spins"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref><ref>Space Daily, [http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-mera-04j.html "ILC Dover Airbags Cushion MER Spirit Landing on Mars, ''Mars Daily''"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref>
 In the 1990s ILC entered the [[pharmaceutical industry]] with the design and production of flexible containment systems, used to improve operator safety and ensure product purity during the manufacturing processing of potent pharmaceutical agents.<ref>O'Hanlon, John, [http://www.themanufacturer.com/us/profile/3966/ILC_Dover "ILC Dover, Giant Strides, ''The Manufacturer''"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref><ref>NASA Tech Briefs, [http://www.themanufacturer.com/us/profile/3966/ILC_Dover "Space Suit Spins"].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref>
+==Space Suits==
+[[File:Bull Aldrin Apollo Spacesuit.jpg|thumb|Apollo Spacesuit worn by [[Buzz Aldrin]]]]
+Since the beginning of the [[Apollo Program]], ILC has been the designer and producer of the space suit pressure garment for [[NASA]].  Throughout [[Apollo program|Apollo]], [[Skylab]], [[Space Shuttle]], and [[Space Station]] missions, the space suit has been required to protect astronauts from hazards faced in earth’s orbit and on the surface of the moon.  These hazards include the vacuum environment of space, temperature extremes ranging from -250 degrees Fahrenheit to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, the impact of micrometeoroids and orbital debris, and [[lunar dust]].  Above the 63,000 foot threshold, spacesuits are needed to supply oxygen and to provide a pressurized environment around the body to keep body fluids in a liquid state.<ref>NASA History Program Office, [http://history.nasa.gov/spacesuits.pdf Human Space Flight, Spacesuits].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref>
+===Apollo/Skylab===
+ILC began delivering spacesuits for the [[Apollo program]] in 1966. Apollo spacesuits were custom-made for each of the astronauts in the program, and for each of the twelve manned flights carried out, ILC produced fifteen suits.  Three suits were made for each of the three astronauts comprising the crew (one suit for flight, one for training, one for back-up) and two suits were made for each of the three back-up crew members (one suit for flight and one for training).  Twenty [[Extra-vehicular activity|extra-vehicular activities]] (EVAs) were performed during the [[Apollo program]], and ten were performed during [[Skylab]].  The Apollo suits were used for a total of 160 hours on the lunar surface.<ref>NASA History Program Office, [http://history.nasa.gov/spacesuits.pdf Human Space Flight, Spacesuits].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10</ref> <ref>ILC Dover, [http://www.ilcdover.com Spacesuits].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref> <ref>NASA, [http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/reports/eva.html Directorates, Space Operations].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref>
+===Shuttle===
+The space suit used for EVA during shuttle missions is the [[Extravehicular Mobility Unit]] (EMU), which is comprised of two parts:  the space suit assembly (SSA), manufactured by ILC, and the [[Primary Life Support System|life support system]] (LSS), manufactured by Hamilton Sundstrand (previously Hamilton Standard).  The SSA is made of individual components which are assembled to fit each astronaut. Since the first shuttle EVA in 1983, 216 U.S. astronauts have performed a total of 74 shuttle EVAs, combining for greater than 470 hours in space.<ref>NASA History Program Office, [http://history.nasa.gov/spacesuits.pdf Human Space Flight, Spacesuits].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref><ref>ILC Dover, [http://www.ilcdover.com/ Spacesuits].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref><ref>NASA, [http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/reports/eva.html Directorates, Space Operations].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref>
+===International Space Station===
+The shuttle EMU was improved for use on the [[International Space Station]] (ISS).  The suits for the ISS were modified to provide greater mobility, to afford better tactile capabilities of the glove, and to provide an increased operational life.  As of Feb. 2011, a total of 104 EVAs on the ISS had occurred, for greater than 650 total hours in space.<ref>ILC Dover [http://www.ilcdover.com/ Spacesuits].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref><ref>NASA, [http://www.nasa.gov/directorates/somd/reports/eva.html Directorates, Space Operations].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref>
+===Mark III===
+The [[Mark III (space suit)|Mark III]] (MKIII) is an experimental suit that was designed by ILC for use on the [[International Space Station|space station]].  The suit is a combination of hard and soft elements, designed for pressurization to 8.3 [[Pounds per square inch|psi]].  Shuttle suits are pressurized to 4.3 psi, and astronauts are required to breathe pure oxygen for several hours prior to EVA to remove all dissolved nitrogen from body fluids (to prevent “[[Decompression sickness|the bends]]” upon de-pressurization).  Pressurization to 8.3 psi would eliminate the need for a lengthy pre-breathing time.  The MKIII has since been used in test programs that study space suit operations in the lunar and [[Mars]] surface environments.<ref>NASA History Program Office, [http://history.nasa.gov/spacesuits.pdf Human Space Flight, Spacesuits].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref><ref>ILC Dover, [http://www.ilcdover.com Spacesuits].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref>
+===Lunar/Mars suit prototype (I Suit)===
+The [[I-Suit]] is a lightweight experimental suit designed and manufactured by ILC to be used for high-mobility surface operations in gravity, such as on the lunar surface or on the surface of [[Mars]].  The I-suit is also being studied for use with next generation NASA launch vehicles and commercial space vehicles.<ref>ILC Dover, [http://www.ilcdover.com Spacesuits].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref>
+==[[Lighter than air|Lighter-Than-Air]] Structures==
+[[File:Zeppellin NT amk.JPG|thumb|left|Lighter-Than-Air]]
+Since the early 1970s, ILC has been designing and manufacturing softgoods structures for [[Aerostat|aerostats]], [[Airship|airships]], [[Blimp|blimps]], and other [[Lighter than air|lighter-than-air]] (LTA) structures.  ILC is the world’s largest producer of modern aerostat and airship envelopes.<ref>ILC Dover, [http://www.ilcdover.com/Lighter-Than-Air-Structures/ Lighter-Than-Air-Structures].  Retrieved 2011-02-01.</ref>
+===Airships and Blimps===
+Airships and blimps are used for a variety of applications including transport and tourism; advertising; and surveillance.  ILC’s airship products are used by the U.S. military, the American Blimp Corporation, and Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik GmbH (Germany).<ref>ILC Dover, [http://www.ilcdover.com/Lighter-Than-Air-Structures/ Lighter-Than-Air-Structures].  Retrieved on 2011-02-01.</ref><ref>Bolkcom, Christopher, [http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RS21886.pdf "Potential Military Use of Airships and Aerostats," ''CRS Report for Congress''].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref>
+===High Altitude Airships===
+Since the early 1980s, ILC has been involved in the design and development of high altitude airships. The advent and growth of the cellular phone market renewed interest in the use of high altitude airships as an economical alternative to satellites.  In the past decade, ILC has worked with Lockheed Martin to support several US government-funded [[High-altitude airship|high-altitude airship]] (HAA) programs to define the system for a mobile platform capable of carrying various payloads, including communications and Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) sensors.<ref>ILC Dover, [http://www.ilcdover.com/Lighter-Than-Air-Structures/ Lighter-Than-Air Structures].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref>
+[[File:MarfaTX.jpg|thumb|Tethered Aerostat]]
+===Tethered Surveillance Aerostats===
+Aerostats are typically utilized as platforms to carry surveillance radars to altitudes reaching 15,000 feet while tethered to the ground by a single tether. ILC has manufactured aerostats with volumes ranging from 56,000 to 595,000 cubic feet. The length of these aerostats ranges from 109 feet to 240 feet.<ref>ILC Dover, [http://www.ilcdover.com/Lighter-Than-Air-Structures/ Lighter-Than-Air Structures].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref>
+===Heavy Lift Airships and Balloons===
+The lift generated by a helium filled LTA vehicle can allow heavy loads to be transported in an economical manner.  In the early 1990s, ILC was involved in the design and manufacture of logging balloons, devices used in the northwestern U.S. and western Canada for the purpose of retrieving logs from mountainous areas inaccessible by road.
+<ref>ILC Dover, [http://www.ilcdover.com/Lighter-Than-Air-Structures/ Lighter-Than-Air Structures].  Retrieved on 2011-02-10.</ref>
 ==References==