Elon Musk's new spacesuit is giving space fashion a major upgrade

SpaceX gives glimpse of the future of spacewear | WBNS-10TV Columbus, Ohio | Columbus News, Weather & Sports
Elon Musk unveils new SpaceX spacesuit – and it's out of this WORLD
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24 August, 2017

SpaceX notably chose to develop their own suit for their astronauts in-house, which is different from Boeing's approach, where it partnered with spacesuit specialist David Clark Company. Thanks to Elon Musk's Instagram, we now have a glimpse of what the SpaceX space suit looks like: basically like every single space suit you've ever seen.

It features an American flag stitched on to the arm, while the helmet features a large visor allowing for utmost visibility. (Although, that could be due to the image being flipped.) Speculation aside, let's start with what we know so far.

Musk emphasizes that the space suit he teased wasn't just a flight of fancy; it's the real thing.

Using Instagram, Musk shared the very first image of the SpaceX spacesuit. More in days to follow. What's even more impressive is that it can cope with double the pressure of the vacuum of space. As a man of his words, Musk did post a photo of what could future humans be wearing to Mars or other parts of our solar system.

There have been many innovations in spacesuit design since the 1980s and 1990s, such as a prototype idea from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that is more like a "skinsuit" than a spacesuit. "Undergoing ocean landing mobility/safety tests". The one featured in the photo does seem sleeker and more futuristic, though. "I think there is quite a radical difference between having solar panels on your roof that actually make your house look better versus ones that do not". Musk claims it was "hard to balance" aesthetic with functionality. Its closest comparisons in the world of cinema are probably the suits worn in Interstellar, and (appropriately) The Martian.

The unveiling comes as SpaceX and aeronautics giant Boeing each have struggled to meet deadlines for NASA's Commercial Crew Program, a cost-savings partnership between the agency and private industry focused on facilitating travel to the space station.


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