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In this NASA page it describes an astronaut remaining in contact during an EVA.

While inside these pressurized suits, it's essential that they (the astronauts) remain in constant communication with the rest of the crew in space as well as Mission Control Center on Earth.

Can an astronaut ever have a private conversation with another astronaut or someone on Earth during an EVA? If so, how would they switch to the private communication?

Bob516
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    Slightly related: in SciFi novels, the accepted method for private conversation between two suited people in close proximity is to touch faceplates and let the sound waves propogate directly via air-solid-solid-air . – Carl Witthoft Jun 09 '20 at 11:56
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    I'm pretty sure the operational answer to this is no, but to give an good explanation of why will require some detailed knowledge of how exactly the loops get privatized in the first place, which I don't have (that whole electromagnetic wave thing). So I've asked this question: https://space.stackexchange.com/q/44705/6944 – Organic Marble Jun 09 '20 at 15:02
  • @CarlWitthoft Has anything like that ever been tested in the vacuum of space, or a vacuum created on Earth? – Bob516 Jun 09 '20 at 15:36
  • Related, not duplicate, not yet answered: https://space.stackexchange.com/q/31911/26446 – DrSheldon Jun 09 '20 at 16:45
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    @Bob516 I fear I don't know of any experiments done to test this. – Carl Witthoft Jun 09 '20 at 17:06
  • @CarlWitthoft The more I think about this idea of vizor-to-vizor contact as a means of communication the more I think it would be very unlikely. With a low atmospheric pressure in the spacesuits it would seem not as much energy would be transmitted via the air. Then I wonder how much flexibility there is the vizor to transmit vibrations. How much of those vibrations could be picked up by the second vizor through what I imagine is less than perfect contact, and then how much of those remaining vibrations would pass to the lower pressure air in the "receivers" helmet. – Bob516 Jun 10 '20 at 12:56

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