News By Graham Templeton Mar. 26, 2014 5:35 pm
For the past several years, NASA has been slowly remembering that it’s good to be popular. Since the decline of the space race, the agency has become steadily less visible and approachable to the public, and has perhaps coincidentally seen a similar drop in public funding. However, recent initiatives like Curiosity’s*7 Minutes of Terror video were received so positively that NASA simply had to take notice. Since then the space agency has made real efforts to reach out to the public, partially restarting its latter-day efforts in public education and finally acknowledging that sometimes good PR really can lead to good science. Now, continuing that trend, NASA has released three concept designs for its Z-2 space suit prototype — and it wants the public to decide which goes forward to production.
The differences between models are purely superficial, relating only to coloration and the placement of glowing light strips. Though there is certainly real utility to the glowing suit exteriors, it speaks to NASA’s new mindset that it would give the lights any aesthetic consideration at all. Last year’s predecessor, the*Z-1 prototype, called out to Buzz Lightyear with almost absurd specificity. Now, rather than taking its aesthetics from Pixar, NASA wants to carve out an iconic and inspiring silhouette all its own.
A render of the Z-2′s proposed Technology design.
Whatever the visual design, all three Z-2 suits pack the same feature-set. The Z-line of space suits has been designed for extra-vehicular activity (EVA) missions, and more specifically for missions on the surface of Mars. The joints and new near-spherical transparent helmets allow increased visibility and range of motion for those finicky times when the floor is above you and to the right.*It seems like just yesterday that engineers and space tight-wads were complaining that the big bubble-helmets of sci-fi movies like Prometheus were theatrically necessary but scientifically bunk.
A diagram of suit-port technology.
Along with a host of other improvements, the Z-2 is the hardiest suit yet, with reinforced composite structures in the upper and lower body portions, making it hardy enough for long planetary missions. It’s also the first hard upper body suit to use the suit-port technology, an odd idea that makes slow, inefficient airlocks largely obsolete. As seen in the image, suit-port technology keeps EVA suits outside at all times, and astronauts climb directly into the suit through the open backpack. The Z-2′s trademark luminescent patches could also allow some extra utility, like an easy way to distinguish crew members from afar.
But of course, NASA knows how to build a solid space suit — what it needs from you is your discerning eye for fashion. The three aesthetic prototypes allegedly follow three conceptual themes (Biomimicry, Technology, and Trends in Society) but in reality the decision will likely come down to your preference for certain shapes and colors. For instance, the Trends in Society suit tries to call out to modern sports-wear with its jagged glow-patches and “gore pleated” legs — but it still looks like a big fat space suit. Technology has a more classical, science-fiction look to it, calling out to basic computer symbolism and the abstract glow of nonspecific future tech. Finally, the Biomimicry design tries to evoke the organic patterns of reflection and bio-luminescence found in ocean life.
Whichever you pick, you’ll get a large array of renders in different situations, along with an interactive 3D model you can examine at will. As of this writing, the Technology design is winning quite handily with 65% of the votes. This isn’t that surprising since, to voice a subjective opinion, the other two looks pretty darn weird. Whatever you think, be sure to head to NASA’s website to cast your vote!
NASA expects to have a Z-2 prototype of the winning design up and running for testing by November 2014.
More...
The differences between models are purely superficial, relating only to coloration and the placement of glowing light strips. Though there is certainly real utility to the glowing suit exteriors, it speaks to NASA’s new mindset that it would give the lights any aesthetic consideration at all. Last year’s predecessor, the*Z-1 prototype, called out to Buzz Lightyear with almost absurd specificity. Now, rather than taking its aesthetics from Pixar, NASA wants to carve out an iconic and inspiring silhouette all its own.
A render of the Z-2′s proposed Technology design.Whatever the visual design, all three Z-2 suits pack the same feature-set. The Z-line of space suits has been designed for extra-vehicular activity (EVA) missions, and more specifically for missions on the surface of Mars. The joints and new near-spherical transparent helmets allow increased visibility and range of motion for those finicky times when the floor is above you and to the right.*It seems like just yesterday that engineers and space tight-wads were complaining that the big bubble-helmets of sci-fi movies like Prometheus were theatrically necessary but scientifically bunk.
A diagram of suit-port technology.Along with a host of other improvements, the Z-2 is the hardiest suit yet, with reinforced composite structures in the upper and lower body portions, making it hardy enough for long planetary missions. It’s also the first hard upper body suit to use the suit-port technology, an odd idea that makes slow, inefficient airlocks largely obsolete. As seen in the image, suit-port technology keeps EVA suits outside at all times, and astronauts climb directly into the suit through the open backpack. The Z-2′s trademark luminescent patches could also allow some extra utility, like an easy way to distinguish crew members from afar.
But of course, NASA knows how to build a solid space suit — what it needs from you is your discerning eye for fashion. The three aesthetic prototypes allegedly follow three conceptual themes (Biomimicry, Technology, and Trends in Society) but in reality the decision will likely come down to your preference for certain shapes and colors. For instance, the Trends in Society suit tries to call out to modern sports-wear with its jagged glow-patches and “gore pleated” legs — but it still looks like a big fat space suit. Technology has a more classical, science-fiction look to it, calling out to basic computer symbolism and the abstract glow of nonspecific future tech. Finally, the Biomimicry design tries to evoke the organic patterns of reflection and bio-luminescence found in ocean life.
Whichever you pick, you’ll get a large array of renders in different situations, along with an interactive 3D model you can examine at will. As of this writing, the Technology design is winning quite handily with 65% of the votes. This isn’t that surprising since, to voice a subjective opinion, the other two looks pretty darn weird. Whatever you think, be sure to head to NASA’s website to cast your vote!
NASA expects to have a Z-2 prototype of the winning design up and running for testing by November 2014.
More...
