NASA's Awesome New Spacesuits Look Inspired by 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
NASA has revealed their new spacesuit design, and it has an insanely cool retro design with a modern twist that looks like it came straight out of Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. I included a photo featuring the suits from the classic film so that you can compare.
The new spacesuits were made for the Boeing Starliner astronauts, and NASA provided the following details in a press release that I included below with all of the functionality and details of the suit. When talking about it, astronaut Eric Boe said:
"The most important part is that the suit will keep you alive. It is a lot lighter, more form-fitting and it's simpler, which is always a good thing. Complicated systems have more ways they can break, so simple is better on something like this."
Richard Watson, subsystem manager for spacesuits for NASA's Commercial Crew Program added:
"The spacesuit acts as the emergency backup to the spacecraft's redundant life support systems. If everything goes perfectly on a mission, then you don't need a spacesuit. It's like having a fire extinguisher close by in the cockpit. You need it to be effective if it is needed."
The press release says:
Astronauts heading into orbit aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft will wear lighter and more comfortable spacesuits than earlier suits astronauts wore. The suit capitalizes on historical designs, meets NASA requirements for safety and functionality, and introduces cutting-edge innovations. Boeing unveiled its spacesuit design Wednesday as the company continues to move toward flight tests of its Starliner spacecraft and launch systems that will fly astronauts to the International Space Station.
A few of the advances in the design:
Lighter and more flexible through use of advanced materials and new joint patterns
Helmet and visor incorporated into the suit instead of detachable
Touchscreen-sensitive gloves
Vents that allow astronauts to be cooler, but can still pressurize the suit immediately
The full suit, which includes an integrated shoe, weighs about 20 pounds with all its accessories – about 10 pounds lighter than the launch-and-entry suits worn by space shuttle astronauts.
To read the full thing click here. Below you'll find more photos and a video that shows off the new suit. This is so cool, and I absolutely love this design. Those guys at NASA have got some great taste in sci-fi fashion. I want one.
Here are the suits from the movie.