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NASA Puts Its New Spacesuit Design To a Public Vote
An anonymous reader writes "NASA, in collaboration with ILC and Philadelphia University, has designed three different cover layers for its new spacesuit prototype, Z-2. NASA will let the public decide which of the three designs will actually be built. Voting is open through April 15, 2014, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Here are brief descriptions of the three designs: 'The "Biomimicry" design draws from an environment with many parallels to the harshness of space: the world's oceans. Mirroring the bioluminescent qualities of aquatic creatures found at incredible depths, and the scaly skin of fish and reptiles found across the globe, this design reflects the qualities that protect some of Earth's toughest creatures. ... "Technology" pays homage to spacesuit achievements of the past while incorporating subtle elements of the future. By using Luminex wire and light-emitting patches, this design puts a new spin on spacewalking standards such as ways to identify crew members. ... "Trends in Society" is based off of just that: being reflective of what every day clothes may look like in the not too distant future. This suit uses electroluminescent wire and a bright color scheme to mimic the appearance of sportswear and the emerging world of wearable technologies.'"
They all look the same...
Good engineering is done by committee
I was working on a personal design project with very similar features, for undersea divers - an electroluminescent (EL) panel or wire system for divers to use to signal each other underwater, even at distances where hand signaling would be an issue. Different colors for different situations, and the ability to 'flash' a sort of morse code communique to one another.
A diver's illumination would also light up or flash when air reserves reach low levels or the diver is otherwise in distress, so others could recognize the issue and come to aid.
Feel free to steal the idea and run away with it, if anyone reading this is in the industry. Like I said, it was just a personal design project that I was planning on giving away to improve the general state of things.
Please PLEASE make a red version as well as a blue one. We need to be able to tell N7 and and Cerberus apart at a distance.
I know you read Slashdot, NASA. Make this happen.
None of the above.
From what I can tell the basic design and materials seem to be the same between them (perhaps a slight difference in materials of Biomimicry) and what you are voting on is really more of a skinning of how the suit looks and where the glowing areas are placed...
It does seem like there is some design aspect at work though in deciding how to use the light emitting portions, I really liked the thought of the Technology suit having different designs for different suit owners, and that has practical purpose also.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
So how many Station Cash is each suit anyway?
NASA's 2012 Z-1 Spacesuit design.
Are these rejected uniform from the last Tron movie? All they need now is the pointless lights in the helmet to illumnate your face like BSG (both the 70s and the 00s).
None of what's being voted on can be considered a functional part. All that we're voting on is the cover, basically some soft armor to protect the actual suit from damage. And then all that we're voting on is the coloration patterns.
Oh, and this is purely for the prototype - it will never even go into space. So all that the voting public is being trusted with is picking out the colors of a protective cover for a model that's only being used for testing, not actual spaceflight.
And since pretty much 0% of the voting public are experienced aerospace engineers, that's probably all we *should* be trusted with. I know the 150 hours I've put into Kerbal Space Program certainly does not qualify *me* for designing anything that actually goes into space and needs to work properly.
They only have one option that mentions immediately practical applications in its supporting information. That's the Technology skin, with the applications being easier crew identification, etc. Precisely the only reason why you would think they would invest the resources to play with pretty lights on the surface of a prototype, right now. The others are designs that might be nice to have someday, if there are large populations in these environments that might want to express individuality and creativity.
Get off my launchpad!
I really thought NASA was the future, I've fought tooth and nail with naysayers over about NASA, It was incredibly depressing the space shuttle started and ended in my lifetime and we rely on the Russians to launch new astronauts to the station.
But this? This is the first time I've started to question my fanboy support of NASA.
Seriously? These designs are worthy of a poll or even posting?
_ _ _ Go for the eyes Boo! GO FOR THE EYES!
I vote no.
After all, if not for Russua how you gonna get up there anymore?
What does Mr. Blackwell have to say?
Have gnu, will travel.
Someone mentioned above that the vote has no functional meaning. I disagree.
The glowing patterns, properly designed, can help astronauts see the relative orientation of other astronauts, particularly in low light situations. The more distinctive yet simple the pattern in terms of placement relative to the body of the wearer, the better. The first option (A) obscures this by not clearly aligning all the luminescent lines with the shape of the human body. For me, this makes "biomimicry" functionally less suitable. The third option (C) has lines on all limbs without much to distinguish between them, meaning that when observing from other orientations, there could be confusion for the observer. Granted, the illumination on the backpack mitigates this at some angles, but the second option (B) has distinctive front and back and clearly shows an observer the orientation of the wearer. Option B looks arguably most functional.
As an added bonus, the luminescent pattern in option B can also serve to symbolise the origin of the astronauts, in the highly unlikely even they come in contact with another intelligence :) The second option's (B) "technology" pattern on the front approximates the bipedal shape of a human, while the others do not.
Kind of sad that NASA's suit R&D rollout to the public seems to be focused on case modding the exterior.
That said, they clearly need a "retro" cover. First look at the NASA design reminded me of a book I read as a kid, "Tom Swift and his Jetmarine," where he built escape suits for his submarine in the shape of giant eggs, like Humpty-Dumpty.
The second option's (B) "technology" pattern on the front approximates the bipedal shape of a human, while the others do not.
Well, so does the shape of the space suit...
Since it will probably be quit a while before the next suit redesign, I have one suggestion.
If you just have to have wires that light up, then having them individually change colors to reflect biological conditions would be a wiser use than just for the glow in the dark function. This way your suit could visually convey critical medical information to the rest of the crew. For instance you could monitor heart rate, respiration and pucker factor on a space walk or during the realization that you are wearing a shower curtain when tiny high velocity particles pierce your suit.
None of the designs are very aesthetic. Nor is the bio-luminescence very functional other than showing others where you are. I'd have to say the old orange suits look much better. Whatever happened to the designs that they had going that more resembled normal clothing. I mean if you're going to make a space suit that makes someone bigger, add more mech type stuff to it. If you're gonna be bulky...make use of it.
You know that the whole Pimp-my-X meme has jumped the shark when NASA scientists think that they need Tron style space suits and that they actually think they look modern and cool...
I run with Cowboy Neal naked on Mars.
Life is not for the lazy.
Gru from Despicable Me :)
Multiple choice questions always miss the most important option: none of the above
None of us is as dumb as all of us
The batteries last too long!
Quick! Add more electroluminescent wire! Hurry Robin, the the Maker Faire!
They all look like something i would shoot at without thinking if i was playing an fps ;)
It struck me as wry humor that the "trends of society" (c) mannikin carries a gun...
Paai
I see three options: Blue waterbear with spaghetti, Grey Tron waterbear, and Frumpy waterbear
Program Intellivision!
Please patent it or else some assholes would patent your idea and then charge everyone lots of arms and legs to use their products.
If you intent to give it away, owning that patent ensure that no one else can patent that idea of yours.
Ignore the lighting. It's all stupid, and it's being done to make them look sexy, at a ludicrious but very profitiable price tag.
Pay attention to the joints, which strongly affect movement, the gloves, the materials. The "most advanced use of impact resistant composites" in the first suit means, to me, "no one has tested this in vacuum *and* head *and* radiation and it will probably shred due to unexpected outgassing of the plastics, ignite with the O2 that starts leaking from the shredded suit, and seal the new hole with frozen blood from our now anemic astronaut. But that saves fuel for the return flight, especially if they aim the leaks in the correct direction to slow their orbit!". The cruft sticking out of the back plate is also begging for trouble.
The pleated armor is interesting, but unlikely to work well without a lot of hard use to get the kinks out. And finely detailed 3d fitting is unlikely to remain fitted for long missions: astronauts tend to lose weight in orbit, food is expensive, and they're working their *asses* off. So extremely careful fittings are pointless, their body shapes change noticeably while they're up on long missions.
I'd want to see the linings. Do they crease in ways likely to chafe skin? Do they provide the needed flexibility for an astronaut to reach into a mechanism on EVA and still be able to make a tool work correctly, especially the elbow and hand flexibility? How is the range of motion? Does the lining retain body fluids from EVA and need rinsing or airing out after a lengthy EVA, or does it accumulate the rich funk of the locker room in hard to clean crevices and have to be sanitized by opening it and leaving it outside?
Frankly, I really miss the idea of the "skin suit", basically a wet suit for outer space with a rigid helmet connected to a snug, low or no pressure body suit. Helmet air leaks into the suit, the suit leaks air a *bit* for cooling and CO2 exhaust, but it relies on the astronaut's own skin inside the suit to keep things together at low pressure. Much, *much* more flexible than the semi-armored systems we currently use, and perfectly reasonable for earth orbit missions.
I'll vote for the crotchless number in muted mauve. I like the suit, but could not care less about its decorative appearance. How about an orbital craft that takes off from and lands on a runway? I have my priorities, after all.
*sigh*
Modern copyright is theft of culture from everyone and it retards the progress of the useful arts and sciences.
Is the design that is selected going to fly to space? No, as the Z-series is still in the prototype or non-flight phase.
why the **** should we care then?
These suits all have lighting apparently, and that lighting matters. Of the three options, the one that gives the most visibility to the wearer is the third, because the lighting extends down the legs.
Other than that, I don't think it matters which of these is built.
FYI I enjoyed this documentary about how the Apollo space suits were created.
Moon Machines (2008): The Space Suit - YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY_4vSmPMy0
I vote for a Gundam mobile suit version :-D
Religion: The greatest weapon of mass destruction of all time
I hadn't thought of this at all, but you are totally right!
I'd hate if during some daring space rescue operation, I had to jump across the gulf of space to intersect with another stranded astronaut, only to realize too late that I misjudged their orientation, and we ended up face-first in each others crotches, like some sort of cosmic 69. You never see that in movies because movies are never realistic and some amount of suspension of disbelief is always necessary, but for sure it would happen in real life unless all astronauts had an luminescent "up" arrow painted on their suit.
PS: I'm not trying to poke fun at your observation; I really do think it was insightful and would have modded you up if I had points
PPS: Like somebody else above said, those suits are really fugly, though.
In case we ever come in contact with another intelligence, I prefer the luminescent pattern to be in the shape of an astronaut smiling while killing an alien.
I agree the pattern can be functional, I disagree any of the designs (including B) come even close to being functional.
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There are two major flaws with this. More pink and it needs some COWBELLS attached to the helmet!
Has it really come to this? NASA doesn't have cool technology and science to show us? It's down to fashion?
Could we just focus on the core mission of putting humans in space without needing to rent capacity from the Russians?
Or have we sunk so low that the only way to engage people in space flight is by letting the masses choose the outfits?
Lost at C:>. Found at C.
"These requirements drive selection of specific high-performance materials and design details that would preclude us from using many of the features you see in these options for the Z-2 suit."
They all look like Sontarans. So the next generation of space explorers need no necks?
Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
To me, this suit seems extremely bulky, with poor visibility. The accent lighting, as presented seems rather useless and a waste of precious energy reserves. And I know it doesn't, but it sure looks like it is forcing the astronaught's head to be contorted forward.
Is it sad that I could create a far better suit design in one day? (Engineering aside)
So if I was to design a suit, I would first look at the human body, visibility and safety.
- structure the suit for a relaxed body position, especially for space walks and low gravity (think more like the Craftmatic Contour bed)
- increase the dome size, come on we should be able to give our astronaughts good periphereal vision (why not a larger and closer to whole hemisphere dome)
- add display screens in front of the astronaught's portal, these would be hooked up to cameras that give a full 360 degree coverage and a location map of all parties (other astronaughts, shuttles, station, satellites, etc)
- illumination, sure, have a light source, thats a given. But if we're going to do LED wires and such they should involve the following. 1) Display a color for identification purposes (perhaps around helmet) 2) display state and well being of the astronaught. (in this case a pattern that is color coded, and can display from green to red the current oxygen reserves, energy reserves, pressure levels, and basic 'naught vitals)
- functionality...hands are great, but there are times you need a third hand. The suit seems to have nothing for assisting tasks. I'd add a Kangaroo pouch on the belly. This would allow the astronaught to essentially have a pouch that can be expanded to contain things. I'd equip each forearm with a grasping clasp. Say I need a wrench, I can just set it on my forearm and it will clamp down and hold it. I see very little design in this suit to assist with functionality.
- feet, these should be adaptable. If I am in space free floating, something with magnetic or even suck type system makes more sense. Versus a suit to explore say an asteroid or Mars, in which a different foot pattern would be beneficial. So I'd make a sort of replaceable sole - like horseshoes.
- tethering? I see nothing to facilitate tethering amongst astronaughts
- utility/mission hardpoints, I'd want a suit that easily allowed dockable modules. Extended oxygen supplies, etc. Not sure the design pictured would be easily modified to support such.
- plasma cannons, clearly the suit should be equipped with plasma cannons or an extended range particle projection cannon.
EL isn't nearly bright enough in any situation but clear water at night. I've been unable to see bright dive lights during the daytime and in really mucky water.
I'd rather see this:
http://news.nationalgeographic...
THE SOFTWARE, IT NO WORKY!!!
.. is a spacesuit that doesn't drown the occupant in his/her condensation. Because drowning is not very stylish, or so I'm told.
I'd rather they went retro and just use the suits from "2001" back in '68.
Uuumm why? Our space program seems to lack any usable goals. Why don't we put this cash into a new shuttle design or something else that we can use to get into space again instead? Having to hitch a ride from the Russian's should be motivation (and embarrassment) enough to put a hold on the new space threads. Or maybe better put, Hey NASA it's 2014 where's my freak'n space car I want off this rock!
I am disappointed at the lack of a Red, White and Blue option with an Eagle emblazoned across the chest and corporate logos plastered all over the arms and legs. At least add and STP motor oil patch and R-Type sticker somewhere.
Seriously, they're all functionally the same suit, just with three different-but-equally-hokey electro-luminescent designs. I appreciate what NASA is trying to do here in terms of involving the public. Their intentions are laudable. This is as close to literal "bikeshedding" as it gets, though, and so it feels more than a little patronizing. Evidently what NASA thinks that the public cares about is style and no substance. Maybe that's not as untrue as I wish it were, but I can't see something like this as an effective way to pique the interest of "those" people.
So, I guess what I'm trying to say is that I think, for the good of the space program, we need to make Justin Bieber an astronaut.
Someone's been watching too many crappy Sci-Fi movies, less modern art and more function. The Z-1 color scheme seems like a better option than any of those up for vote, maybe with the addition of some bands of green around the wrists so you can see arm movements from a distance/in the dark.
http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/jsc2012e237800_alt_2.jpg
Just saying...
Existing suits are shiny white for a reason. What do you thinking the cooling burden on a black suit is in unfiltered direct sunlight?
Even the gray and white suit will be worse. Has NASA kept any engineers around to explain this to the kids who think black is cool?
Why do they all have to make you look like stumpy legged, hunch backed aliens?
They're all as bad as each other. It's a superficial skin so they can promote it as "the space suit the public wanted".
Pass.
The only thing I can see when I look at any of them is Big Daddy. They should make a design based on that.