Mission: Apollo 17

Taken/released on: 3/6/1972

Cernan raises his arms during a final suit fit check

Gene Cernan raises his arms during a final suit fit check. Note that the suit is inflated, undoubtedly at 3.8 psi above the pressure in the fitting room. Moving the suit arms away from their rest position against internal pressure is relatively difficult. The suit design includes two cables attached at the cneter of the chest which then run laterally to the armpits and then into tubes that run up over the shoulders. Friction between the tubes and the cables help keep the arms in any particular position. The tube on Gene's left shoulder is clearly visible. Note the small pulley apparently at the entrance to the tube on his right shoulder. In photo 72-H-0314, a similar pulley seems to be present on the subject's left shoulder and these pulleys may have been included in the design to reduce binding and/or abrasion at the entrance of the tube.

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