US firm Oceaneering International was recently awarded a $745 million contract to design and test new spacesuits for future trips to the moon. Fully functional and considered the height of Mooninite fashion, the modular suit can be worn two ways depending on the occasion.
The first implementation is a lightweight, flexible design to be used for launches, spacewalks and the occasional cabin leak. But for when astronauts will be walking around the moon's surface, they'll need a heavier duty suit with, among other apparent upgrades, sturdier boots. So that's where the second design comes into play. It looks gloriously weighty and awkwardly restricting, just like a spacesuit should be.
Look for the new suits in 2015 when they're part of NASA's Orion mission. [newscientist]