Does Vader's suit have a life support system?

[The Jazz Intern]

In ANH, vader takes some pilots to engage the X-wings and Y-wings in The battle of Yavin. I read in a book that TIEs don't have life support. Vader is in one, and he does'nt look any different than usual. So:
1. Vader's X-1 have Life Support Systems
2. Vader has life support in his armour

Does anyone know?

[StarshipTitanic]

Erm, he wears the suit because he can't survive without it. It supports his life.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

The fact that Vader's suit functions as a life support system is something that's painfully obvious at even initial viewings of the films.

[Sharpshooter]

[Neph]*Facedesk*[/Neph]

Well, I suppose it's possible his suit was modified to be able to equip the various things that TIE pilots needed to carry when in flight, but as to whether or not his armor also offers environmental protection, I'm not sure. I think that you could hear a signifigant amount of hissing during the application and removal of his helmet, which would indicate that there was a certain amount of pressurization going on, so it may be possible that he could survive for a few minutes in a vacuum. I don't remember if it was mentioned if his suit had any additional air supplies, though.

[Utsanomiko]

Jeepers, I knew that Vader relied on that suit to live when I was 8 (perhaps earlier; I just know for certain I watched Ep VI then and clearly paid attention).

How can you not know that? What about the mechanical breathing? Anakin's life-threatening injuries at the end of Ep III? The pressurized therapy/meditation chamber in Ep V? The 'help me take this mask off/but you'll die' quotes in Ep VI? Have you only watched the first movie? Even being twelve, how? I may have been a twerp back then, but I'd have verbally chewed you up and sent you running if you had to ask that.

Paint chips /= wall candy.

[Ford Prefect]

I think he's asking whether or not it's an actual vacsuit, like that used by TIE pilots, and AT-AT pilots. Does it have its own oxygen supply, heating system ect. We know he needs it to live, but will it keep him alive in a vacuum?

[Sriad]

I think he's asking whether or not it's an actual vacsuit, like that used by TIE pilots, and AT-AT pilots. Does it have its own oxygen supply, heating system ect. We know he needs it to live, but will it keep him alive in a vacuum?

Yea, I thought that was pretty obvious from the OP too. Stop ragging on TJA because you didn't read his question closely enough.

[Kenoshi]

When Ralph McQuarrie designed Vader's mask for the original Star Wars it was initially intended to be used just for his entrance on the Tantive IV (the character had not yet been envisioned as a cyborg); Ralph's reasoning being that Vader would need the mask to protect him from the vacuum while crossing from the star destroyer to the Tantive IV. Lucas liked the design so much that he permanently incorporated it into Vader's costume.

From that I think it would be reasonable to say that Vader's suit has its own internal oxygen supply and protects against vacuum.

[The Jazz Intern]

'K Thanks!
BtW, My fault for not making it clearer, I meant the kind needed by tie pilots.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

'K Thanks!
BtW, My fault for not making it clearer, I meant the kind needed by tie pilots.

Specifically, what you meant was whether Vader's suit has the capacity of an onboard oxygen supply.

[Cykeisme]

Digressing slightly from the actual topic but still remaining somewhat relevant.. is it possible for Star Wars-level tech to have some sort of compact (wearable-sized) device that can break carbon dioxide down and re-introduce the oxygen into the cockpit or suit's closed atmosphere, thus eliminating the need for bottled oxygen supplies?

Whichever the case, I should think Vader's suit works as a functional space-suit as well. It's pressurized and tough (armored, in fact) after all.

[Sharpshooter]

Digressing slightly from the actual topic but still remaining somewhat relevant.. is it possible for Star Wars-level tech to have some sort of compact (wearable-sized) device that can break carbon dioxide down and re-introduce the oxygen into the cockpit or suit's closed atmosphere, thus eliminating the need for bottled oxygen supplies?

I'd not be very doubtful of such a thing, but whether or not it could actually remove the need for additional stores is debateable, since the ratio of oxygen leaving the body to that entering the body must be at least fifty to fifty percent, plus you'd have to ave a 100 percent efficiency level for whatever device you're using.

[Elheru Aran]

I always figured Vader was hooked up to some sort of onboard oxygen supply... TIE pilots certainly don't seem to be carrying any oxygen tanks (re the scene where they're running through the halls). It always looked to me as though Vader had a pair of hoses running to that box on his chest, especially since it resembles the chest panel on the TIE pilots' suits...

[The Jazz Intern]

The tie pilots had those, but stormies didn't. I always thought that was their oxygen.

[Isolder74]

The tie pilots had those, but stormies didn't. I always thought that was their oxygen.

It could be a rebreather unit. I do believe that they do plug it into their tie cockpit somewhere.

I also think that Vader's fighter has life support system in it as well after all it is designed for his personal comfort and use.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Okay, I've been doing some looking around and investigating, which is kind of hard when you don't own any of the VDs. Anyway...

The TIE pilots' chest box is their life support system.

Stormtroopers have an 20-minute oxygen supply in a small tank built into the backplate of their armour.

Vader's chestpiece is a cybernetic control box. At least one cable connects the box to an internal device located in Vader's midsection about where his liver should be.

[Elheru Aran]

I just watched ANH this afternoon.

The TIE pilots definitely have a small backpack of some sort, visible when they run off after Vader; presumably this is what they use in the fighter (possibly it hooks into the seat somehow to use an onboard air supply?).

Vader *may* have some sort of hose running over his shoulder; it's hard to tell as the views one gets of him in the cockpit are extremely foreshortened and it's hard to tell if that's actually a hose or just something on the steering wheel/control yoke. While it's almost certain that he's got a self-contained air supply, perhaps with scrubbers to extend its life, I doubt he would carry enough air for an extensive flight, especially considering he had to fly to the nearest Imperial base after the Death Star's destruction.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Vader *may* have some sort of hose running over his shoulder;

I personally recall no such thing.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

The TIE pilots definitely have a small backpack of some sort, visible when they run off after Vader; presumably this is what they use in the fighter (possibly it hooks into the seat somehow to use an onboard air supply?).

More likely they connect to the box on the chest. That seems more reasonable then to assume that they somehow connects to the fighter.

[YT300000]

Digressing slightly from the actual topic but still remaining somewhat relevant.. is it possible for Star Wars-level tech to have some sort of compact (wearable-sized) device that can break carbon dioxide down and re-introduce the oxygen into the cockpit or suit's closed atmosphere, thus eliminating the need for bottled oxygen supplies?

It can do even better.

[Typhonis 1]

So stormies could have a two hour supply of oxygen if those rebreaters are part of their kit.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

So stormies could have a two hour supply of oxygen if those rebreaters are part of their kit.

No, all they would need is similar functioning and designed tanks as the rebreathers.

I would assume that such the miniturisations involved with such rebreathers are probably prohibitly expensive to equip Stormtroopers with similar capacity tanks, hence why they only have a twenty minute supply.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

'K Thanks!
BtW, My fault for not making it clearer, I meant the kind needed by tie pilots.

Watch ANH. Note how Vader is still in his suit when he takes to his TIE X1 to engage the Rebels attacking the Death Star. From that, the answer is: "Yes."

[Patrick Ogaard]

So stormies could have a two hour supply of oxygen if those rebreaters are part of their kit.

No, all they would need is similar functioning and designed tanks as the rebreathers.

I would assume that such the miniturisations involved with such rebreathers are probably prohibitly expensive to equip Stormtroopers with similar capacity tanks, hence why they only have a twenty minute supply.

Presumably simpler to equip stormtroopers expecting extended duty in vacuum with the armored life support packs worn by the two troopers to be seen standing near the turbolaser turrets in ANH when the Falcon is drawn into the Death Star docking bay.

[Spanky The Dolphin]

Exactly.