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I’ve heard of science following science-fiction, you’ve only got to look at the iPad to know that’s true, but science following cartoons? Now there’s a first. NASA’s unveiled its new Z-1 spacesuit prototype, and boy does it look familiar.
The new Z-1 sure looks a lot like good ol’Buzz Lightyear. Maybe someone at NASA is a closet Toy Story fan. Anyway, NASA’s gone with a new design and functionality direction with the Z-1, putting a huge port on the back of it, which allows the astronauts to jump in and out of it quickly, and be able to dock it directly to the side of a spaceship or station.
It’s not quite the revolutionary, airless pressure suits we’ve seen mock-ups of in the past, or in Prometheus, but it’s a step in the right direction, even if it looks like the humble spacesuit hasn’t really progressed all that much since the Apollo days. The Z-2 is apparently well on its way too, so we should see a few more suits in the near future, hopefully with something to match my hipster glasses. To infinity Mars and beyond. [Tested via io9]
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Take away the colour and the resemblance to Buzz Lightyear is gone!
While in other headlines “NASA’s Next Spacesuit Makes Astronauts Look Like Trash Bags”
http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2012/07/nasas-next-spacesuit-makes-astronauts-look-like-trash-bags/
Why report this twice?
Because Casey’s wrong. It’s Buzz all the way
I thought NASA had the Exoskeleton ready by now, oh well still under development I guess
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121012141957.htm
nice retort;)
New space suit with a tunnel vision? So antronomers don’t get distracted by astroids and concentrate on space plumbing, and those shoes doesn’t look like space or gravity boots either
For a country now distinctly lacking the ability to launch its own people into space, why are they still designing the suits for it? It’s a little like that one guy who wants that classic car so badly he’s bought his driving gloves and a pair of aviators, but at the back of his mind he’s well aware he’s probably never going to get to use them properly.
In reference to the Elon Musk’s current foray into space travel, do NASA sell to people outside their own US governmental missions? That’s all I can think of.
One of the more stupid comments of the day.
Just because the Shuttle retired doesn’t mean everyone at NASA packed up and went home.
They are working on new crew carrying spacecraft with the idea of going to an astroid, mars or other space based location. They also have people in that big space station up in space, you know the one that looks like a space station.
If also a fact that all the different parts of NASA work on different projects with the aim of bettering current tech or building the next gen.
Thats why JPL are designing engines, other parts are looking at habitats for Mars, others are looking about mining asteroids. Once different bits of tech are finished they generally come together in the next available project.
Actually, my point was aligned something more to the tune of “isn’t the Mk1 frivolous spending when you have no use for it at present, and the way things are going your funding is not going to stretch to a manned mission anywhere anytime soon?”.
Like I said, designing the clothing before you’ve actually got the vehicle is getting somewhat farther ahead of yourself then is sensible for an organisation that’s already meant to be pretty cash-strapped.
So not a stupid comment, I guess I just felt I was among intellectuals who could see that a humorous comment about their current lack of personell-carrying vehicles made the suits somewhat extraneous, was at least pertinent.
Looks good. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that Jony Ive was involved in the design.