Scuba Diving And Edge-Of-Space Flights, Similar But Different | Space

Last week, I flew to 70,000 feet above the Earth in the backseat of the U-2 spy plane (link below). As such, I needed a special pressure suit to counteract the significantly lower air pressure that comes at such extreme altitudes. The uncomfortable Michelin Man suit may be confining, but it can save your life in the event of a sudden cockpit depressurization.

The documentary filmmaker with Steer Films, Carlos Toro, shot stills and video for my Forbes story. Toro is a scuba diver with experience diving and filming shipwrecks and aquatic wildlife while doing work for National Geographic. He dives to uncomfortable depths routinely, but, like U-2 pilots, also wears a suit for survival and protection.

I am not a scuba diver, but thought it would be interesting to put Toro, 42, into a space suit while we were at Beale AFB to compare the two experiences. He would not be in it for long – maybe 45 minutes as he would not be flying – but the experience would give him an interesting point of comparison between diving and high altitude – and the technical equipment required for both.

After his suit experience, Toro and I discussed his thoughts. Following are edited excerpts from a longer conversation.

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Source www.forbes.com