A spaceflight company Virgin Galactic and Under Armor sportswear brand unveiled its first Spacewear System for private flights. The first collection was “created specifically for private astronauts,” this suit is not intended for walks in outer space but is quite suitable for suborbital flights.
The collection includes a spacesuit, a training suit, footwear, and even a limited edition jacket, they said in a statement.
It is planned that a Virgin Galactic spacecraft will carry up to six passengers, along with the two pilots, to the edge of space. Then the spaceship and passengers will float weightless for a few minutes before landing again on Earth like a traditional plane.
The Spacewear System
The spacesuit is made of lightweight flight-grade fabric, with cushioning on the elbows, knees, and footwear to provide safety in out-of-seat zero gravity. The company also explains this will help with temperature regulation and sweat management. Spacesuits are complemented by training suits that will help optimize the effectiveness of astronaut preparation in the days immediately before space flight.
Each suit has integrated communication systems and plenty of pockets both inside and outside. Similarly, the shoes are designed to be lightweight, not the big, bulky moon boots you might expect.
VG Base Layer acts as a second skin to the body that will enhance performance and blood flow during the high and zero Gravity portions of the flight.
Spacewear materials were rigorously tested in laboratory conditions that match the space environment – with pilots, spaceship engineers, medical professionals, and astronaut instructors, Virgin said.
“Spacesuits are a part of the iconography of the first space age; our visual impressions of human spaceflight and what astronauts wear are inextricably linked,” said Sir Richard Branson. “Requirements for astronaut spacewear as we enter the second space age are evolving, but the design challenge has not diminished. We were delighted when Kevin and Under Armour stepped up to this task, and they have surpassed our expectations.”