Vote on NASA's New Spacesuit

[Red Iron Crown]

NASA is deciding the color scheme for the new Z-2 spacesuit via online poll. Vote for your choice here:

http://jscfeatures.jsc.nasa.gov/z2/#portfolio

I voted "Biomimicry".

[Accelerando]

with you on that one. technology looks cool too

[Nibb31]

Things are very wrong when space suit color is decided by NASA-sponsored crowd-sourcing instead of by thermal engineering and practical requirements.

This sort of thing really makes me doubt that all NASA's exploration policy is serious at all. I think they are aware at this point that all they will ever produce are pretty 3D renderings and powerpoint slides. The only Mars landing we will see in our lifetimes will be a 2 minute YouTube clip in CGI.

[Holo]

Things are very wrong when space suit color is decided by NASA-sponsored crowd-sourcing instead of by thermal engineering and practical requirements.

From the FAQ from that website:

Is the design that is selected going to fly to space?

No, as the Z-series is still in the prototype or non-flight phase. The cover layer of a non-flight suit, which is used for ground-based testing, serves as abrasion/snag protection, a cover for technical details, and to a lesser extent, aesthetics. For a flight suit which is actually used for a spacewalk, the cover layer performs many other important functions such as micrometeorite, thermal and radiation protection. These requirements drive selection of specific high-performance materials and design details that would preclude us from using many of the features you see in these options for the Z-2 suit.

[Red Iron Crown]

Things are very wrong when space suit color is decided by NASA-sponsored crowd-sourcing instead of by thermal engineering and practical requirements.

Were I to guess, I would say that all three schemes met requirements before being offered as an option in the poll. NASA isn't that bad.

Edit: Or I could just read the FAQ like Holo did.

[Ravenchant]

Same here. The "trendy" style is atrocious IMHO and the tech one- which seems to be winning- looks like a Tron prop.

[Nibb31]

From the FAQ from that website:

Is the design that is selected going to fly to space?

No, as the Z-series is still in the prototype or non-flight phase. The cover layer of a non-flight suit, which is used for ground-based testing, serves as abrasion/snag protection, a cover for technical details, and to a lesser extent, aesthetics. For a flight suit which is actually used for a spacewalk, the cover layer performs many other important functions such as micrometeorite, thermal and radiation protection. These requirements drive selection of specific high-performance materials and design details that would preclude us from using many of the features you see in these options for the Z-2 suit.

An operational space-suit is either for flight or EVA or training. The color of a flight suit should be bright orange or day-glo yellow to increase visibility in case of a bailout. The color of an EVA suit should be white for thermal reflection. The color and material of a training or test suit should be the same as an operational suit.

Black/dark grey with battery-powered leds for "ground-based testing" (whatever that is) is just silly PR that serves no functional purpose.

Edited March 26, 2014 by Nibb31

[SargeRho]

Or maybe, just maybe, raw functionality is not all people care about.

[maccollo]

I think they all of them look terrible XD

[TimMartland]

They are all kinda cringy. I would prefer a practical design to one that looks nice, but since this is just for non-flight I guess its ok.

[J.Random]

I like Z-1's color scheme. Make green stripes brighter (as in "acidic/neon green"), make them luminescent and you're set. But noooo, instead they introduce this [self-censored].

[Tommygun]

I went with Option B: "Technology".

It's just harmless PR stuff. It helps keep NASA in the public eye like the asteroid mission for KSP.

[NASAFanboy]

If it wasn't for NASA"s constant PR schemes, they would have been defunded an along, long time ago.

[Space Viking]

To be honest, I think the original Z-1 with the Buzz Lightyear look was the best.

[Skyler4856]

If it wasn't for NASA"s constant PR schemes, they would have been defunded an along, long time ago.

The upcoming ARM pack is an excellent example...

[Woopert]

Technology seems cool, I don't care about how it looks as long as it keeps our heroes safe!

[Dispatcher]

I like the helmet-less option.

[softweir]

I am sure that they won't use any of these designs and that this is just a publicity gimmick.

I do feel the luminescent wires could be useful when a wearer is in deep shadow to enable others to see where he/she is and which way she/he is positioned - but they would end up being overlaid on the normal titanium white/orange layer as appropriate for the use of the suit.

[NGTOne]

The luminescent patches might be useful during planetary missions, for visual identification and location of personnel in low-vis conditions (like a Martian sandstorm).

[Klingon Admiral]

No pink one? I am disappointed.

[astropapi1]

If it was an option, I'd choose the original Z-1 color scheme. Buzz Lightyear FTW!

Then again, I'm not an engineer, so my only reasons to pick it are because it looks cool and it looks like yould actually use them in space. Not like those LED covered ****** designs...

[CalculusWarrior]

I support this poll, as the designs look futuristic and serve to keep NASA in the public eye as a group which is building new technology and pushing the limits of exploration.

[Mitchz95]

I don't like any of them, but I voted for Biomimicry.

[TerLoki]

Colors aside this thing just looks... Weird. The whole look of it, particularly the hanging fabric covering where I presume the hard connections are, makes it look more like a TV show prop than an actual functioning spacesuit. That being said, I voted for technology, but had there been a classic white one with exposed red and blue metal components I would've been on that in a heartbeat.

[Kerbin Dallas Multipass]

They all look like 90s no-name 10€ sports shoes.

I like the Z1 color pattern. Simple, timeless.