What will the well dressed space tourists be wearing when the first space excursions blast off for a trip to space? At the Spacecraft Technology Expo Orbital Outfitters gave us a preview of their latest fashions.
If you are like the rest of the people who are busy booking flights at $100,000 plus a trip I am sure you are wondering what to wear out there. Well the folks at Orbital Outfitters are working day and night to answer that question. They are not only designing their space suits to be practical but to have a bit of style as well. Their chief designer is Chris Gilman the founder of Global Effects Inc. Global Effect founded in 1986, is one of the best known and reputable special effects companies in Hollywood. They make and design many costumes and special effects apparatus for films and he brings this sense of art to what is a by necessity a very practical no nonsense profession of engineers and scientists.
One of the innovations that is incorporated in the design of their latest suit design is the helmet for their Industrial Suborbital Spacesuit (IS3) What you may ask is this innovation? The curvature of the visor design, allows greater viewing visibility which will come in handy when you are craning your neck to view for the first time the curvature of the earth from space through the window of your spacecraft.
Now how much would you pay? But wait! There’s more. The truly outstanding thing about this suit that sets it apart from other suits getting ready for our new life in space is that if something goes wrong out there with your spacecraft, God forbid. you can maintain optimum pressure in the event that there is any loss of cabin pressure while you are taking pictures and checking out the view.
But what if your spacecraft cannot, I repeat cannot for one reason or another re-enter the earths atmosphere. Then what is a space cadet to do? Well at Orbital Outfitters they are working on a plan. It is called Project: SpaceDiver
During the course of the project, their first objective is to break the worlds Skydiving altitude record. Then they will keep going till they end up with a system that works even as far out as near earth orbit.
bail out and re-enter earths atmosphere in the suit alone. That is correct. No spacecraft needed.
No this is no movie. This is real life. If you don’t believe me just ask Texas A&M and NASA. Orbital Outfitters is currently under contract doing spacesuit development design work for the planned Mars and Lunar manned missions. Remember these are the guys who are also working with XCOR on the suits for their manned flights. So save up your money cause you can book a flight on XCOR in about 5 to 7 years. Right around the corner.