What is a telemetry tech?

What type of telemetry data is available from a NASA astronaut's EMU to the ISS and to mission control? What about biometric?

• Asked by (What's this? https://robertsrantsobservationsandramblings.quora.com/Original-Posters-OPs-Matter) I am reading the mishap investigation report for Luca Parmitano's helmet (http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/Suit_Water_Intrusion_Mishap_Investigation_Report.pdf and saw that recommendation R-21 suggested (page 19) The ISS Program should develop a system that allows high rate data telemetry to be received by ground teams during an EVA to allow near instantaneous monitoring of critical system parameters. I always thought that was already done, so what improvements can be made? What telemetry already exists? What about biometric data? Do you have any opinions on what improvements could be made?

• Answer:

  Remember that the EMU suits are pretty old.  Data transmission is done at 50 baud as a single serial stream.  That means each bit is sent sequentially (no parallel data).  The stream consists of about 20 seconds of EMU telemetry (actually 12 seconds with 4 seconds of logic on either side) followed by about 100 seconds of EKG data, followed again by 20 seconds of EMU telemetry and so on. If I remember correctly, there are about 60 bytes of EMU telemetry, with 8 bits of telemetry per byte.  That telemetry includes things like suit pressure, O2 supply pressure, CO2 partial pressure, sublimator pressure, motor tachometer, battery voltages, sublimator outlet temperature, time since power restart, time of EVA, time left for the battery, time left for oxygen, time left for water, pump switch positions, actuator positions, LiOH time, Metox time, etc. The biomed data is an electrocardiogram (EKG). I don't know how much could be done without bringing the suit torsos home and performing significant upgrades.