This archive report was first published on 16 October 2019.
Under Armour and Virgin Galactic Unveil World's First Spacesuits for Consumer Use ¶
On October 16, 2019, Under Armour and Virgin Galactic unveiled the world's first spacesuits engineered for consumer use, designed for Virgin Galactic's suborbital space flights.
The futuristic-looking outfits were revealed in a flashy event outside New York City, featuring Richard Branson, ballet dancers, and an aerialist display demonstrating the suits' flexibility.
The spacesuits are designed to be lightweight and comfortable, weighing down the commercial space flight passengers with minimal equipment and gear. However, as Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank admitted, the space tourists won't be going outside of the craft or taking moonwalks anytime soon.
The flights will only reach about 50 miles above the Earth, allowing for about 10 minutes of weightless space time before returning to the ground.
The suits feature eight technologies from Under Armour's performance gear line, including Rush, a fabric that can recycle the body's energy, and Intelliknit, a Japanese super yarn for regulating body temperature and sweat.
The spacesuit uses Under Armour's HOVR material for the pads in the shoulders and neck to help deal with G forces during the flight. Other features use proprietary auxetic materials and fabrics for temperature control and moisture management.
The boots feature the HOVR and Clone technologies for fit and function, while separate jackets will serve as mementos that can be worn in everyday life after the experience.
Under Armour plans to expand the astronaut line for other consumers, starting with a normal T-shirt for those who can't afford the $250k ticket to space.
