Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
For its next Z-2 space suit, NASA turned to the public to determine the winning design. A total of 233,431 votes were cast and Option B: “Technology” was picked as the winner.
The Z-series suits are NASA’s platform for its plan to put astronauts on Mars. One of the goals for the platform is to design and develop technologies that the astronauts will one day use to live and work on Mars. NASA’s first suit in the series, the Z-1, was named by Time Magazine as one of Best Inventions of 2012.
The “Technology” suit option was one of the 3 choices that was available on NASA’s voting page. The other two options were: “Biomimicry” (Option A) and “Trends in Society” (Option C). Suit B won with over 63% of the total votes and NASA will be incorporating the design into the final version of the Z-2 Spacesuit.
The Z-2 will have many advantages when compared to its predecessor. The most significant change comes with the formation of the upper torso module. The Z-1 had a soft one which enabled ease of movements but the Z-2 will have a hard composite one. This adds to the longevity of the suit and is essential for long-term durability that a planetary Extravehicular Activity (EVA) suit requires. Based on the research done on the Z-1, NASA has also incorporated other changes such as the complex shoulder and hip joints which have now been been optimised for mobility. Another part that sees an update is the boots. These are now much closer in nature compared to previous ones found on a space ready suit.
Here are some interesting features that NASA has planned for the Z-2:
- It will be the first suit to be tested in full vacuum.
- First use of 3D human laser scans and 3D-printed hardware for suit development and sizing.
- The impact resistant composite used on the suit’s upper and lower torso system will be the most advanced.
- The suitport concept will be fully integrated into the hard upper torso structure.
- The suit will have the most conformal and resizable hard upper torso to have ever been produced.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
With the Z-2, NASA will be adding a cool new cover layer which features an electroluminescent wiring. This is to aid with identification and visibility when an astronaut makes an EVA in low light situations. The Z-2 is also designed for the non-flight phase: what this means is that it will not be making it into space. For more images and a 3D view, please visit the Z-2 site.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The Z-2 prototype is expected to be ready for testing by November 2014 and the data gathered from the suit will be the basis for the next in the Z-series of space suits. I’m just hoping that the next version will not look like it was taken out of a 60s space movie.
The post NASA’s next space suit design has been voted in by the public appeared first on TechAttack.my.
