Vote on NASA's New Spacesuit

[NovaSilisko]

The suit looks like a thumb with a big blister on it

Edited March 27, 2014 by NovaSilisko

[Seret]

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

It's clearly an outreach programme. As a publicly funded organisation NASA does have a remit to engage the public in their activities.

As for the designs, I found myself trying to decide which was least bad.

[NASAFanboy]

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.

Ground based testing is walking around in simulated Martian conditions and training for an asteroid mission using a old moss covered rock and some bungee cords (No kidding).

This suit ain't flying to space, so that's why NASA can afford to let the public choose the color scheme.

If it was flying, it would adhere to engineering requirements.

[Nibb31]

Ground based testing is walking around in simulated Martian conditions and training for an asteroid mission using a old moss covered rock and some bungee cords (No kidding).

What's the point of ground-based testing if you are designing stuff to look cool rather than actually simulating Martian conditions? Visibility plays a large part in the ergonomics that they are trying to reproduce.

[NASAFanboy]

What's the point of ground-based testing if you are designing stuff to look cool rather than actually simulating Martian conditions? Visibility plays a large part in the ergonomics that they are trying to reproduce.

I don't know.

But NASA needs the occasional PR stunt to keep its funding stable.

This spacesuit is probably just a mockup that will test the systems inside it, nothing else.

[flyingpig]

reminds me of the Mondoshawan aliens from the 5th element.

[Red Iron Crown]

reminds me of the Mondoshawan aliens from the 5th element.

Yes! I knew they reminded me of something but couldn't put my finger on it.

[RogueMason]

I voted Biomimicry. It was... alright, but much better than the other two options. I do prefer the 'Buzz Lightyear' colours, though

[Space Viking]

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...

There's indeed a practical aspect behind the Z-1's white color and fluorescent stripes. But by also having a resemblance to Pixar's famous space ranger is a great bonus in my opinion. It's popular culture and people tend to love such things. AFAIK it wasn't even at first called a "Buzz Lightyear Suit" by news articles – it was people who saw and commented on that resemblance, which then the media was quick to catch on.

I personally don't mind the design vote itself, it's just that I think it really should had the original Z-1 scheme as an option.

[Blue]

I didn't exactly like how curvy-wurvy each of them were for the lower back or belly area. Technology for this reason I liked the most, but I also liked Trends in Society because it had lighting that went down the pant-leg.

[xenomorph555]

meh, not a fan of these new spacesuits, whatever happened to trying to make them smaller. Other then that I vote technology.

[Camacha]

I think they all of them look terrible XD

I am with you here - I do not like either of them. They look like props from cheap sci-fi movies, if you ask me.

[helaeon]

Wow. I hate them all. Mostly because I hate the actual shape, can't get past that to vote on a color scheme. You'd have to give me some very, very strong reasons why the ship/suit would have to look that way to justify looking that wrong.

It's like my science and engineering gut feelings are saying "NOOOOOO!!!!!!". Something about it just seems impractical, like it's being designed by someone trying to be different rather than let the engineering determine the form.

[Camacha]

You'd have to give me some very, very strong reasons why the ship/suit would have to look that way to justify looking that wrong.

It's like my science and engineering gut feelings are saying "NOOOOOO!!!!!!". Something about it just seems impractical, like it's being designed by someone trying to be different rather than let the engineering determine the form.

You might be a bit off there - the smooth design offers certain advantages over the more traditional tubes and things sticking out. Not snagging is important. Visibility should actually be quite nice, and let us not forget that it is a surface suit, instead of the space suits you are used to.

[OtherDalfite]

Wow. I hate them all. Mostly because I hate the actual shape, can't get past that to vote on a color scheme. You'd have to give me some very, very strong reasons why the ship/suit would have to look that way to justify looking that wrong.

It's like my science and engineering gut feelings are saying "NOOOOOO!!!!!!". Something about it just seems impractical, like it's being designed by someone trying to be different rather than let the engineering determine the form.

Shape is very important when considering the logistics of it. Think about it, the Apollo astronauts fell over multiple times on the moon, and seemed to have a pretty tough time getting back up. This suit appears to be more round so instead of taking a full on impact, you would simply roll, and come to a halt. Less impact force = less chance of breaking something. The suit also appears to be completely self contained, which is a huge benefit with minimal possibilities of snagging and tearing your oxygen supply tube (not that your O2 supply won't be in the suit anyways).

I think the big suit design is also good because it provides a lot of visibility. Looking around you would notice a big hulking round mass better than say, a slim suit that may trick you into thinking it's just something in the distance. For the form, it seems engineers ARE defining the form, you guys just don't like it.

[Nibb31]

The reason for the shape is because it's designed for a suit port. The entire back of the suit is actually a door that docks to the vehicle. The astronaut climbs through the door into and out of the suit while the suit stays outside. This means that you no longer need an airlock on the vehicle and it prevents contamination and dust issues.

[Nuke]

i think all 3 of them look gaudy. id have kept the classic space suit look.