A radiation suit is a type of clothing designed to incorporate technological principles to protect a wearer lifeform from being exposed to radiation. Due to the nature of radiation emissions, radiation suits usually require complete covering of a lifeform's body to be effective.
In the early 2270s, the Federation Starfleet began a practice of having engine room personnel wear radiation suit uniforms while on duty working with the warp core. The radiation garments included heavy gloves and visored helmets, but the gloves and helmets were normally only fitted during emergencies. Standard Starfleet radiation suits were worn aboard the USS Enterprise starting around the time of the ship's refit and encounter with Vejur. Designed as part of the Starfleet uniform of the era, these uniforms came in various uniform service variations, including the executive blue-gray and the common uniform of the technical services, a white jumpsuit. (ST reference: Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise; TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptation: The Motion Picture)
With a uniform redesign of the later 2270s, the radiation suits stayed much the same in configuration but were worn in a common uniform white color for easy visibility. Officers and trained enlisted personnel wore radiation suits with dark gray collars and cadets and trainees wore uniforms marked with red. Departmental and rank insignia were worn on the sleeve and shoulder epaulets, as they had been with previous variations. By the 2290s, a nameplate was common to show the wearer's name. Enterprise engine room personnel continued to wear these throughout the era, until the last crewed voyages of the ship facing Khan Noonien Singh in battle. The suits were also used aboard the USS Enterprise-A, infamously worn with helmets in 2293 to hide the identities of two assassins, Yeoman Burke and Crewman Samno. (ST reference: Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise; TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptations: The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, The Undiscovered Country)
By the 24th century, Starfleet still used a similar design of radiation protection garment, although with updated insignia for the current uniform styles. These suits were worn by humanoid mining personnel assigned to Lythos Prime. (TNG - Star Trek Special comic: "A Rolling Stone Gathers No Nanoprobes")
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Appearances & references[]
- ST reference: Mr. Scott's Guide to the Enterprise
- TOS movie, novelization & comic adaptations: The Motion Picture, The Wrath of Khan, The Search for Spock, The Undiscovered Country
- TNG novel: The Peacekeepers
- TNG - Star Trek Special comic: "A Rolling Stone Gathers No Nanoprobes"
- TOS comic: "The Wormhole Connection"