Armour vs vacuum

[AdamWillow]

CSC 2023 page 27

Some armour comes as a complete suit and is worn with a helmet and additional gear such as air tanks. Suits, if sealed, offer total protection from gas and airborne biological or chemical agents. These suits can be divided into four types: civilian suits designed to protect the wearer from vacuum or hazardous environments, unpowered combat armour designed for protection against weaponry, powered civilian or more often military armour designed for heavy loads or severe conditions and battle dress, normally only available to licensed military operatives.

Does it mean that suit protects from gas and airborne biological or chemical agents but not from vacuum (or other hazards)? And specific suit protects from vacuum only if it says so in its descryption? Or there is another rule that divide sealed suits into those protecting againts vacuum and those that are not?

 

[Vormaerin]

There are definitely suits that don't protect from vacuum. Hazmat suits are not rated for use in space.

 

[AdamWillow]

I'm trying to understand the rule behind this division. Which sealed suits protects from vacuum? In this general description it is only mentioned in civil suits but I'm sure it would be stupid if unpowered combat armour or battledress didn't protect from vacuum. Hence my question if sealed suit protects from vacuum only if its description says so or is there any general rule of division? Or rule of a thumb? (I'm sorry if my question is unclear, but English is not my first language so meaning could be lost in translation .

 

[Sigtrygg]

A sealed suit is only vacuum rated if it still allows the wearer to move.

The problem with sealed flexible armour is the air pressure inside the suit would make it swell up and you wouldn't be able to move.

 

[Condottiere]

I think it was Pournelle who came up with the skintight rubber spacesuit, though I also think someone disproved that it functions as he specified.

However, you could have as a skin sleeve, for the vacuum aspect, and wear one that isn't vacuum rated, if the issue is equalizing the pressure inside and outside.

 

[Vormaerin]

The Basic and Improved Environment Suit and the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Suit are not vacuum rated. The Combat Environment Suit is not vacuum rated. Everything else in the "Civilian Suits" and "Military Suits" sections of the CSC are vacc suits. So is Battle Dress.

I would rule that the other kinds of Powered Armor are not, nor is anything in the Standard Armor category.