NASA is collecting votes on the aesthetics of the next edition of the Z-series spacesuit prototypes. With a lot of gortex and electroluminescent wire, the options come straight out of a scifi set.
Alas, this is for the prototype phase, which means it is a non-flight suit that will stay firmly on Earth. The cover layer for non-flight suits serves as abrasion and snag protection, a cover to protect technical details, and aesthetics. When the suits hit final design stage, the cover layer will have to deal with a lot more concerns including thermal, radiation, and micrometeorite protection. These requirements are demanding enough that a lot of the design-details for the prototypes couldn’t be included.
Which is even more reason to take advantage of the lessoned requirements of a prototype suit, and embrace an awesome, outrageous design. Once you’ve picked your favourite style, head to the NASA website to cast your vote.
https://gizmodo.com/what-will-the-spacesuits-of-the-future-look-like-in-a-1550440044
