NASA's new suits are one giant leap for space fashion

NASA just awarded its future spacesuit contract to Oceaneering International. The US firm must now design, test, and produce two suits -- the default suit (pictured after the break) worn on-board for launch and landing and a second, more versatile, cheese-proof suit worn during space walks and upon the surface of the moon. The suits must be ready for the first scheduled launch of the Orion Space Capsule in 2015. The contract is valued at the government special price of just $745 million. Hey, we have to keep up appearances at the International Space Station, you know.

[Nick @ Jun 13th 2008 8:37AM]

Designing a space suit with a $745 million budget? That must surely be the best job in the world.

[Dan @ Jun 13th 2008 9:06AM]

That cost almost certainly includes the production of x number of suits.

[bohsocks @ Jun 13th 2008 9:14AM]

Buy 4,000 generic goldfish tanks and pocket the $745.5M

[Dave @ Jun 13th 2008 9:45AM]

You are severely underestimating the technology required for these suits.

[John @ Jun 13th 2008 11:15AM]

This spacesuit is SUCH an iPhone ripoff!!!!

[Anastasios Mylonas @ Jun 13th 2008 11:22AM]

Moon soldiers usually attack the legs of astronauts, so I strongly urge Oceaneering International to reinforce the waist-down section of the suit, possibly with a composite ceramic shell. This shell system would be fitted to the zero-atmosphere capable suit, but could be fitted to the 'default' suit as a precaution, as sometimes moon soldiers are able to access personnell areas where they attack astronauts.
It goes without saying that experimental railguns should be fitted to the right forearm, with som kind of complicated ammunition feeding mechanism mounted on the users backpack.

[Shane @ Jun 13th 2008 11:59AM]

The article is very misleading from a contractual and financial perspective.
1) The $750M number is the initial contract + two option contracts.
2) To design, develop, manufacture, deliver, and fly the first suit (config 1) is $183M.
3) To design, develop, manufacture, delive, fly, and support the second suit (lunar suit) is $302M.
4) For continual support of the Orion (config 1 suit) is another $260M.

So, in reality, they are NOT designing a suit similar to the one pictured for $3/4B.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/main/spacesuit.html

[alosen @ Jun 13th 2008 8:37AM]

why'd they have to color in his crotch?

[iTroubleiShoot @ Jun 13th 2008 8:40AM]

His?

Could be hers...

[Ellianth @ Jun 13th 2008 8:40AM]

Uhm.. hello? Don't you know anything? Crotch triangles and blue stripes are all the rage right now in paris ":rolls-eyes::

[Lam Nguyen @ Jun 13th 2008 8:49AM]

That's the pee hole! Easy accessible.

[Timmy @ Jun 13th 2008 9:35AM]

That is the Wow Wee Fem-Bot access port, for all those dirty jobs.

[Mile @ Jun 13th 2008 9:56AM]

It's a Racing Stripe.

[d @ Jun 13th 2008 10:39AM]

that's the binding between the legs and torso pieces. These things don't get put on like pants.

[John @ Jun 13th 2008 11:14AM]

landing strip!

[iTroubleiShoot @ Jun 13th 2008 8:37AM]

Form-fitting makes sense.

Sweet. I so want to go to space.

[luke @ Jun 13th 2008 8:50AM]

The black crotch stripe is actually a direct phone to Houston with a retractable cord/leash, oh wait no its a Star-Trek type laser blaster....for the covenant, right?

[ronzo @ Jun 13th 2008 8:51AM]

Yeah, but do they come in blue?

[iEye @ Jun 13th 2008 8:59AM]

I prefer the Environmental Suit from Star Trek, TOS...

But I like that cod piece they have added there... "It provides the freedom and protection, I so sorely need"

[CapWKidd @ Jun 13th 2008 9:03AM]

Cheese-proof?

[Alex @ Jun 13th 2008 9:22AM]

the moon is made of cheese, DUH

you don't want track that back into your space whip

[OneLove @ Jun 13th 2008 10:55AM]

yeah, it took me a while too.

[gad get @ Jun 13th 2008 3:53PM]

I thought they were trying to hint that they think this design is cheesy. :\

[Robotochan @ Jun 13th 2008 9:03AM]

I like the older suits better, look more casual and less tight around the crotch...

[JAmerican @ Jun 13th 2008 9:06AM]

I agree. The older ones looked way better. They actually look like a downgrade.

[Kurian @ Jun 13th 2008 9:34AM]

I wonder if the female suits have hawt breast holder things like in the moviez.

[Jimmy @ Jun 13th 2008 9:53AM]

@ Kurian: I hope so.

[Andrew @ Jun 13th 2008 9:40PM]

I'm sure that you can still wear the old suit on Casual Spacewalk Fridays.

[ThatFenderStratGuy @ Jun 13th 2008 9:09AM]

What a terrible drawing.

[m1gu3l @ Jun 13th 2008 10:49AM]

c'mon they only payed $745 million for that you can't expect a better drawing :P

[pundit @ Jun 13th 2008 9:17AM]

I'm assuming the Russians are going to spend five years (at least) laughing their asses off while the Americans don't send anyone in space?

That suit is really ugly, btw.

[fry @ Jun 13th 2008 9:24AM]

omg are those astronauts wearing Lightspeed Briefs?!!

[Osiris @ Jun 13th 2008 9:40AM]

So are they going to fake another landing then?

[fourthletter @ Jun 13th 2008 9:46AM]

Dear god don't tell me you actually believe that crap......
Some people watch too much X-Files.

[dg @ Jun 13th 2008 12:58PM]

Watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQKxAqpjroo

THAT MAN WALKED ON THE F*CKING MOON. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

What a bad-ass old man.

[maty @ Jun 14th 2008 5:19AM]

Osiris.... get... off.... edgadget.

You could be at least be semi-intellectual and educated and at least read this article on Wikipedia which cites independant sources that we did, infact (shock, horror) land on the Moon:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_evidence_for_Apollo_Moon_landings

Did you not get the memo?

And after reading and mulling over all of that, get yourself a good, old, factual, reseached, scientific book. And read it.

You might learn something.
---

As for the suit? I like it! Roll on 2014!

[e2_98 @ Jun 13th 2008 11:15AM]

Man that thing needs a cape!

[Shane @ Jun 13th 2008 9:49AM]

I've been working at JSC on these suits for a little while now. These pictures are not representative of any design. They are just a conceptual drawing meant to reflect the 2 different configurations. Any specific design elements in the drawings do not indicate any formal or final designs.

[Jimmy @ Jun 13th 2008 9:52AM]

What was wrong with the old ones? I mean... they got us to the moon, didn't they? And we don't even go there anymore.

[z0phi3l @ Jun 13th 2008 10:07AM]

Mobility, would be the first reason. I would guess that the old ones didn't have comfort in mind also


If you're going to be chillin on the moon surface, you want to be comfortable doing it.

[Ian @ Jun 13th 2008 1:38PM]

don't forget styling too

[d840 @ Jun 13th 2008 7:05PM]

Possible line in Half Life 2, episode 3:

"That's the old passage to the moon..... we don't go there anymore."

[Matt @ Jun 13th 2008 10:02AM]

who wears short shorts?!
ha, the dude on the left of the top right picture looks like he's wearing cosmic hot pants.

[Tim @ Jun 13th 2008 10:13AM]

Mr. Black, or JT, or whatever, seems like the perfect candidate for a "Lowest Ranked" attempt.

Ready...set...LOW RANK

[jt-engadget @ Jun 13th 2008 10:16AM]

Back, vile impostor!

[shanoboy @ Jun 13th 2008 10:24AM]

wow, what a cheesy attempt at spamming Engadget with your sucky hyper link!

Loser.

[Michael @ Jun 13th 2008 10:35AM]

Pointless even discussing this.
The first thing Democrats always do when getting into office is to rape the space program.
They want us all here on Earth where they can feed off of us like fat little ticks.

[Dave @ Jun 13th 2008 10:53AM]

Ehrm, what??

"First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth. No single space project in this period will be more impressive to mankind, or more important in the long-range exploration of space; and none will be so difficult or expensive to accomplish."

John F. Kennedy, 1961

People forget very easily...

[Sana @ Jun 13th 2008 12:07PM]

Sadly Michael's right in this instance, if you have manned space exploration close to your heart..

The last paragraph in Obama's 15-page "Plan For Lifetime Success Through Education" reads:


"Barack Obama's early education and K-12 plan package costs about $18 billion per year. He will maintain fiscal responsibility and prevent an increase in the deficit by offsetting cuts and revenue sources in other parts of the government. The early education plan will be paid for by delaying the NASA Constellation Program for five years, using purchase cards and negotiating power of the government to reduce costs of standardized procurement, auctioning surplus federal property, and reducing the erroneous payments identified by the Government Accountability Office, and closing the CEO pay deductibility loophole. The rest of the plan will be funded using a small portion of the savings associated with fighting the war in Iraq."

[MBN @ Jun 13th 2008 2:06PM]

JFK and Democrats of the 60's are very different from Democrats of today. If JFK were alive and in his political prime today, he'd be a Republican. Don't believe me? Just read his inaugural address.