Firefighters at Eglin AFB, Fla., have been testing a new chemical protective suit that would be worn as an undergarment not an overgarment, as is the case now. The new kit would be lighter and more flexible and features a mesh-like design that makes it cooler, said officials. The 16 firefighters in the test went through standard firefighting exercises, including dragging heavy hoses, a 150-pound “victim,” and consecutive trips up and down a ladder.
As commercial companies, universities, and research agencies develop new approaches to operating satellites at lower and lower altitudes, the Space Force is taking notice and considering how it might leverage those advances in both the near and long term.