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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.'"
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.
They're all pretty fugly. The Buzz Lightyear looking one is the only one that doesn't make the wearer look stupid.
-1 Uncomfortable Truth
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.
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!
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.
They're all pretty fugly. The Buzz Lightyear looking one is the only one that doesn't make the wearer look stupid.
Ugh, I know. When comparing these options to the Z-1 suit at the top, I got this strange feeling like I had when comparing Windows 7 to Windows 8... "Seriously? Why can't we have the one that looks like something designed by a sane group rather than this abortion of an "upgrade"?"
Unfortunately, the astronauts can't simply wear these inside-out to hide the horrible flair spewed all over the outside of the 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.
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...
The FAQ says that this is only the design for the cover that will be used during on earth prototyping, and that the actual flight version of the suit will not be styled at all.
I know right, the most important thing in space is to look cool, not convenience.
I see three options: Blue waterbear with spaghetti, Grey Tron waterbear, and Frumpy waterbear
Program Intellivision!
It will be the one that the Colbert Nation votes for.
a) Baddie uniform. b) goodie uniform. c) Star Trek uniform. If this is the attempt to envage the public in space missions, I hate to say it but it's probably pitched about right. Think X factor in space. I shudder to think about it.
In a cybernetic fit of rage she pissed off to another age...
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.
How has the internet been around this long, and you still do not know the phrase "I know right"?
I think you just the entire thread.
You not knowing that phrase hit me for maximum damage.
Not knowing IKR has made your body explode into a fine bloody mist because you are only a level 2 druid.
Um... Something about cats.
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