24 August, 2017
Musk said via an Instagram post that the suit pictured is an actual, functioning version of what the company will one day give to astronauts. Based on a single photo of the suit, we have to say that Musk and his team ultimately a did a good job in the style department, and assuming it works as advertised, in the function department too.
With the finalized, vacuum-ready design now revealed, it is clear that SpaceX has managed to strike a balance between functionality and aesthetics, and the company has produced a suit that looks truly futuristic.
At first Fernandez only created a helmet, but after designs submitted from elsewhere were rejected by SpaceX, the costume designer was asked to work with Musk on an entire suit.
Now that SpaceX has a string of successful launches and International Space Station visits under its belt, it's time to start looking further into the future.
SpaceX, along with Boeing, is among the first private companies which have won a contract with NASA to launch humans into space on the ISS. If all goes to plan, it would be the first private company to send humans into space.
The space center last saw a manned mission take flight in 2011 when Space Shuttle Atlantis launched on STS-135. The images that appeared on Reddit at the time look pretty much identical to what Musk showed today.
Although Musk didn't include specific details, the picture reveals a pressure suit, which is meant to be worn inside a spacecraft-in case the environment de-pressurizes-as opposed to outside.
The Crew Dragon, as well as Boeing's Starliner, is expected to begin flight tests with astronauts in 2018. He announced that more details will come in the following days.
Public reception has been overwhelmingly positive since the spacesuit resembles more closely what people think this kind of specialized attire should look like by now. Also, it retains the charm of the old NASA suit which space explorers are known to wear, especially the one for the Moon.
It should also be noted that, in January, Boeing introduced its own spacesuit for astronauts traveling to the ISS.
