05/05/2020
Design in Space
Reading about the ambitious Space X program and the upcoming launch of the Crew Dragon Demo-2, the first crewed test flight of a spacecraft from US soil since 2008, currently scheduled to launch on May 27, 2020, I was impressed with the lean and almost "sic-fi" look of the new spacesuits that the 2 astronauts will wear.
The evolution of the spacesuit was always more concerned about the functionality and safety of the outfit, rather than its appearance. It's no surprise that Elon Musk's version of it would be not only safe and functional but also stylish!
Here's a brief timeline of the spacesuit evolution over the years. To infinity, and beyond!
In the mosaic picture:
1) Valentina Tereshkova's spacesuit, which is very similar to the one worn by Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space (1963) •2) Buzz Aldrin during the Apollo Mission (1969) • 3) Chris Hadfield, first Canadian astronaut (1995) • 4) Eileen Collins, the first female space shuttle pilot (1995) • 5) The Orion suit (2019) • 6) The Crew Dragon suit (2020)
1) Valentina Tereshkova's spacesuit, which is very similar to the one worn by Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space (1963) •2) Buzz Aldrin during the Apollo Mission (1969) • 3) Chris Hadfield, first Canadian astronaut (1995) • 4) Eileen Collins, the first female space shuttle pilot (1995) • 5) The Orion suit (2019) • 6) The Crew Dragon suit (2020)