The Deutsches Museum Spacesuit Display: Long-Term Preservation and Atmospheric Monitoring

Abstract

Spacesuits are highly valuable artifacts made of sensitive synthetic materials, including rubber, polyvinylchloride, polyamide, or polyurethane. The main concerns for preservation are off-gazing from the objects themselves and the exterior agents of deterioration humidity, high temperature, UV radiation, and visible light. This study addresses the implementation of preventive conservation in the Deutsches Museum spacesuit display and the evaluation of the atmosphere with monitoring methods. The focus lies on innovative RFID corrosion sensors developed by the Lab-STICC and used in an exhibition for the first time. In addition, commercial devices (climate logger, UV and light meters, infrared thermal imaging) were used to check the conditions in the spacesuit showcase. The source for off-gazing coming from a suit could be located through the sensors, and the low corrosivity inside the showcase showed the effectivity of the installed charcoal absorbers. Humidity, however, was unable to be reduced to the recommended 30–40% in the large-scale showcase with silica gel. The LED lighting in the dark exhibition excludes any harmful high-energy radiation, but thermal radiation is produced by lighting and electrical devices. The applied methods were effective in evaluating the current situation in the exhibition and form a good basis for future improvements on the display.