Next-gen NASA spacesuit contract mothballed

It may be true that no one can hear you scream in space, but we'd be wagering that a whole lot of people can hear the yelling coming out of Houston-based Oceaneering International, Inc., who just lost their two month old $745 million NASA contract to build the next-gen space suit. Of course, the bid was not without its fair share of bitching and moaning by competing contractors (apparently long time space suit-makers Hamilton Sundstrand and ILC Dover made a big stink after the contract was awarded to their upstart competitor), but them's the breaks when your gear's headed to space. Too bad though, we were really looking forward to the gear -- especially since now we have absolutely nothing to wear to the astro-prom.

[coasttcoast911 @ Aug 16th 2008 1:35AM]

I don't blame NASA, those spacesuits look grotesque.

[austin @ Aug 16th 2008 8:54AM]

those werent the actual suits. they were just concepts.

[Mike10010100 @ Aug 16th 2008 10:07AM]

Come on, NASA!

We went to the moon in 1969 with no more technology than a pocket calculator and a little human ingenuity.

This should be easy right now. We can put tons of robotic probes on mars and yet none on the moon. The moon should be our testing ground for new robotic technology. We're close enough so that the signal delay isn't that big of a deal.

Jeez! Let's get up and go already!

[Kurian @ Aug 17th 2008 8:46AM]

Aww man. I was hoping that they would have those convex breast holder things for the female astronauts like in the movies.

[Faar @ Aug 17th 2008 8:30PM]

"We went to the moon in 1969 with no more technology than a pocket calculator and a little human ingenuity."

Actually, they used slide rules back then; the pocket calculator didn't appear until the late 70s, and even then they weren't all THAT small to begin with. Come to think of it, they were more like coat pocket-sized initially rather than jeans pocket size... ;)

[Jon Doe. @ Aug 16th 2008 1:44AM]

What ever happened to http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/biosuit1-enlarged.jpg

http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2007/biosuit-0716.html

If they are going to design a new suit at least make it teh sexy.

[Samboini @ Aug 16th 2008 5:30AM]

That helmet makes her look like a fly. Boner turn-off.

[Fernando @ Aug 16th 2008 1:45AM]

Astro-Prom cracked me up!

[Podaman @ Aug 16th 2008 1:49AM]

Bring plenty of astroglide to the astro-prom ladies, if you know what I mean.

[Flashpoint @ Aug 16th 2008 1:49AM]

Shouldn't we be more worried about building the actual shiop to carry the next generation of astronauts?

[JohnTitor @ Aug 16th 2008 1:53AM]

well that's already a problem, NASA is wasting its time and money building the Ares I when current gen rockets can do it's job fine

[The Beef Machine (lala lala la) @ Aug 16th 2008 1:59AM]

Nope, just need to worry about using spell check before posting a comment >> SHIOP!!!!!

lol-- just ribbin' ya!

[Macro @ Aug 16th 2008 3:36AM]

What rocket would your propose we send to the moon? Shuttle can't go past 250~ miles up. Aries is good! Also the old space suits were only meant for a few hours on the moon these are supposed to last a month or so.

[JohnTitor @ Aug 16th 2008 1:06PM]

looks like someone didn't know that all the Ares I does is takes the astronauts in to orbit. the Ares V actually caries the lunar payload, they deserve to take your money

[kyle allen @ Aug 16th 2008 1:49AM]

i better get a tax refund or something

[JohnTitor @ Aug 16th 2008 1:51AM]

All these delays are getting boring why not just pop open the old records and rebuild everything as they were with a little modern flare (like a real computer)
the Spacesuits worked fine, the Saturn V had a perfect launch history all that's needed is maybe a better Apollo spacecraft

[The Beef Machine (lala lala la) @ Aug 16th 2008 2:00AM]

And Michael Phelps to swim in the sea of tranquility...

[BigD145 @ Aug 16th 2008 1:54AM]

Their funding keeps getting cut, so this is no surprise.

[Sean @ Aug 16th 2008 2:05AM]

"why not just pop open the old records and rebuild everything "

because they destroyed all of the plans...

go NASA!

[Bleck @ Aug 16th 2008 2:20AM]

They need wings and rockets so the astronauts can fly back to Earth on their own in the event that the ship leaves them.. or alien attack!

[Jim @ Aug 16th 2008 2:31AM]

I'm glad they have lost the contract. They are an awful company.

[Samboini @ Aug 16th 2008 5:31AM]

Based on what?

[paul34 @ Aug 16th 2008 11:48AM]

Based on that Jim works for either Hamilton Sundstrand or ILC Dover.

[Alex Padilla @ Aug 16th 2008 2:34AM]

They destroyed all their original plans because they didn't work (read: we didn't go to the moon) and didn't want anyone to find out

Okay, that's my conspiracy theory for the day.

[Ian @ Aug 16th 2008 2:52AM]

wait so another company bitched because they didnt get the contract, and then it was taken away from the company that got it? WTF

[davecrob1293 @ Aug 16th 2008 4:56AM]

is that a throw away camera taped to the suit

[A.C.E.R. @ Aug 16th 2008 5:08AM]

Where all the astrosluts at?

[Mic2000 @ Aug 16th 2008 5:26AM]

That camera looks lame :A

[ssrat_ @ Aug 16th 2008 5:31AM]

The may look ugly but they are designed to be a hell of a lot more maneuverable that the current set of suits.

It looks like the basic design is based on the deep sea diving suits, with sliding joints making it easier to move around.

just wait though 2 months down the line the "established" firms will show up with a design that looks JUST like this one and they will say they can get it done cheaper, either that or they will simply buy the design from the new company

[t3hh @ Aug 16th 2008 6:44AM]

camera looks like Ricoh. I believe that it's this one: http://www.ricoh.com/r_dc/caplio/500se/ . those who are not familiar with the brand - Ricoh makes one of the best compact cameras in this planet with the decent price tag. but right now should be there Sigma DP1 as it has the best form factor / picture quality balance and full metal body on market. on the second place is Leica M8 and third Ricoh GR II.

[BB Sting @ Aug 16th 2008 7:51AM]

so when are they gonna start taking iPhones into space!

[Adam @ Aug 16th 2008 10:33AM]

Hey, if you thought getting 3G reception was hard now...

[Leonard @ Aug 16th 2008 11:46AM]

the guys in right wear nice looking underwears.

[jacob @ Aug 16th 2008 7:18PM]

but will it blend?!

[Lev Astov @ Aug 17th 2008 4:18AM]

What!? I work at Oceaneering and was seriously considering switching to the Space Systems department to work on this. We were just discussing how Hamilton was getting all pissy last week, and now this? This is really irritating and incredibly disappointing.

I can tell you right now based upon some of the work I've done in the Advanced Technologies department, there are few companies that would be better at developing NASA's new Constellation Space Suit. I can only pray that we get this one back.

[ClydeSeal @ Aug 17th 2008 2:26PM]

Is it just me or do the new space suits make the astronauts look like the Hunch-Back of Notredame.

[bluestriker @ Aug 17th 2008 8:51PM]

Personally I think the old ones still look pretty badass...

But alas, we need to incorporate better, lighter technologies into some newer iterations.

[Paul @ Aug 18th 2008 3:10PM]

just one more reason to believe the last moon landing was a bunch of fake crap. if they were able to get their crap together back then, why is it taking so much effort to do it these days when we are so much more advanced in the field. FAKE

[Karl @ Aug 19th 2008 4:06PM]

Paul, knock it off with that crap. Not only are you a moron if you believe the moon landing was faked, you are threatening to deny future generations their heritage. Your opinion, like Holocaust denial in Germany, should be illegal.

[M @ Aug 26th 2008 12:53AM]

wait, you think Paul's opinion should be illegal. Hmmm, making opinions illegal....

[Peter @ Aug 22nd 2008 2:07PM]

Weren't they funding a couple of different companies to see which approach worked best? These look like traditional pressure-filled suits. The competing concept--using fabrics to maintain pressure on the limbs, like a tight turtleneck and long johns--seemed much more promising. No atmosphere to leak out of the limbs so less potential for that catastrophe, and much more flexible (the old models are like trying to bend a stiff balloon from the inside).

[Peter @ Aug 22nd 2008 2:12PM]

Karl, don't feed the trolls. The best way to discourage them is to simply ignore them.