When you think “spacesuit,” you probably picture a big, bulky, marshmallow balloon. Perhaps you recall the Michelin man. However, the spacesuits revealed in these last few months will put those associations to shame. Recently, we’ve been graced with two extraordinary suits: a rainbow, patchwork masterpiece and a suave, monochrome ensemble fit for the most stylish of space travelers.
Let us begin with the more heartwarming of the two. In 2015, Ian Cion, director of the Arts in Medicine program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital, set out on a quest to create something truly special. An organizer of several large-scale collaborative art projects among childhood cancer patients, Ian took note of the children’s tendency to draw stars and rocketships and of their aspirations to become astronauts and explorers. This inspired him to seek a partnership with NASA for a special endeavor, and the Space Suit Art Project was born.
The project entails the making of wearable replica spacesuits, constructed from hand-painted pieces of canvas that are decorated by children undergoing cancer treatment. Once sewn together, Elon Musk’s 8/23 Instagram post depicting SpaceX’s proposed spacesuit.
Astronaut Jack Fischer wearing UNITY on the International Space Station. the finished suit becomes a cheerful quilt of bright squares – a stark contrast to the plain white suits we’re all accustomed to.
The project aims to reduce the isolation that many young cancer patients face by involving them in something bigger than their situation. In addition, it serves to increase awareness of childhood cancer and the benefits of combining art and medicine. The project has gained massive support. Current and retired NASA astronauts have toured the headquarter cities of International Space Station partner nations, collecting hundreds of painted squares. ILC Dover, NASA’s spacesuit manufacturer since the 1960’s, has agreed to construct the suits free of charge, and countless volunteers, engineers, hospitals, and communications specialists have all collaborated to make this dream a reality. In total, the Space Suit Art Project has produced three suits named Hope, Courage, and UNITY – two of which have been flown in space and worn by astronauts. As astronaut Jack Fischer put it during the International Space Station’s video conference debut of the UNITY suit on August 23rd, “The real suit – you have the reward of getting to go outside and seeing an amazing view. [With] this suit, you have the reward of the opportunity – or rather the honor, to represent the bravest kids in the world who actually put it together.”
Now that we’ve all had a good cry, let’s talk about Elon Musk’s casual unveiling of his company, SpaceX’s, future suit. In an Instagram post on August 23rd, Musk revealed what can only be described as a suit straight out of a science fiction flick. Its slim shape and sleek design betray common space suit conventions in every way. “Was incredibly hard to balance esthetics and function,” the caption of his post reads. Musk certainly went to great lengths to make his suit as beautiful as possible, going as far as hiring Jose Fernandez, costume designer for blockbusters such as Wonder Woman and Batman, to design the suit and assure its aesthetic quality. Never fear though! In true Musk fashion, he confirmed that the suit in his post is, in fact, the real deal and not just a mockup. It has been successfully tested at “double vacuum pressure.”
This suit was designed for intra vehicular activity only, meaning it cannot be used outside of a space vessel. High altitude pilots wear similar suits along with NASA’s first astronauts in the Mercury program who did not leave their spaceships. However, this innovation will prove valuable for Musk’s ultimate goal of bringing humans to Mars. They will need a spacesuit that will allow for much more mobility and convenience than is available now. And hey, why not look cool while they’re at it?