Pressure Suit, Manned Orbiting Laboratory, MH-7, Serial # 008

This spacesuit was constructed by the Hamilton Standard Company for the US Air Force Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program in the late 1960s. The MOL program was an Air Force intelligence-gathering program that never became operational. This training suit was one of fifteen that Hamilton Standard prepared between April 1969 and July 1969. This particular suit was sized for Air Force Major Richard E. Lawyer, the program's official suit and suited operations evaluator. There is a patch on the left shoulder to easily spot it. The suit does not have a protective coverlayer and resembles some of the early Apollo suit prototypes. The way to distinguish this suit from an Apollo spacesuit is the location of the zipper. The MOL suits frequently had zipping opening in the front. The astronaut would have to lift the neck ring and open the zipper and neck pressure seal in order to wear the suit.

NASA acquired the remaining hardware from the MOL program after the UASF disbanded it. After the NASA had finished its testing and evaluation of the suits, the agency transferred them to the Museum.

This spacesuit was constructed by the Hamilton Standard Company for the US Air Force, MOL (Manned Orbiting Laboratory) program in the late 1960s. The MOL program was an Air Force intelligence-gathering program that never became operational. This training suit was one of fifteen that Hamilton Standard prepared between April 1969 and July 1969. This particular suit was sized for Air Force Major R. W. Lawyer.