Buddies

It is a well known fact that divers consume air at different rates resulting in one diver using less or more air than their co-diver. This same difference in consumption also occurs with astronauts and having the ability to share resources one to the other is an additional method of emergency life support.

Most amateur sport scuba divers are taught this most basic of survival skills and often dive with a spare regulator attached to their own air supply for emergency sharing of resources. There is no reason that these same basics should not be designed into a colonial suit or helmet.

As noted earlier, the helmet design should be such that the colonist is able to seal it without assistance to avoid the noted risk. An additional life support mechanism should be a dual shield. Regardless of how tough and unbreakable a face shield in the helmet is supposed to be, it is the unexpected that will break or penetrate the shield. 

Another issue with the helmet is air connections. If your helmet design makes the air connection at the back of the helmet it is much more difficult for the colonists to re-attach a disconnected hose. It is also much more difficult to attach a secondary supply from an emergency source.

The many space suit designs we currently utilize usually require assistance getting in and out of the suit and they also have limited emergency connectivity. The one reference I have found to this refers to the lunar landing suit design. This suit does have dual connections. 

When setting up the suits in preparation for the extravehicular walk on the lunar surface, the astronauts attached oxygen hoses from the Lunar Module (both inlet and outlet) while at the same time attaching to the inlet and outlet hoses of the portable backpack. 

Once the pressure in the Lunar Module was reduced to the hard vacuum of the moon and the suits were pressurized at 3.8 lb/in² (26 kPa), the backpack would become the sole source for the suit pressure and the astronauts would disconnect from the Lunar Module and descend the ladder to the surface. The suit inlet and outlet fitting for the Lunar Module interface both sealed closed once the hoses were removed. They would reverse the process upon reentry to the Lunar Module.

The double set of gas connectors with pairs of inlets and outlets was capable of connecting both the LM life support system as well as the backpack of the extravehicular suit.

 

These styles of suits will be of little value in a colonial setting due to the size, the need for assistance to put it on, and the limited mobility they offer.

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