Fine Adjustments

Early this morning, unable to sleep, I got up and pressurized the suit, then worked on some fine adjustments. In the foreground, the pilot's right glove has been shortened by three inches such that when pressurized it does not 'extend' away from my hand (compare with the other glove, which looks longer). I also strapped a mockup of the horizontal instrument panel on a swing arm, above and in front of the helmet -- the wooden panel in front of my head. Before moving all the instruments to this panel I need to be sure it's what I want. Also finessed the breathing gas intake hose hanger clip (a tiny detail, but important!) so that the intake hose does not put undue stress on the suit itself (it's not seen working here as this is just a 'dry' pressurization, without breathing gas hoses screwed in). The final leak it seems is indeed through the boots, and I am going to cut them off (there are unsealable elements to them, as I've found over many months) to replace them with the completely airtight system I've worked out for the glove connections. I'm waiting on two pieces of aluminum pipe, six inches in diameter, to arrive; once they do, I'll do that installation, which will be a real relief. A writer for Wired magazine emailed the other day about the suit, and I'll do an interview with him before long. Later this week, an interview with NPR's Bob Edwards RE the evolution book -- it's only Sunday but the week already feels as though it's speeding along!