NASA's New Spacesuits Look Like Buzz Lightyear's Getup in Toy Story

The biggest thing NASA’s first space suits had to do—aside from keep astronauts alive—was to look spacey. So ordinary test-pilot suits were simply redesigned in a nifty silver. Things are harder now as the U.S. prepares for new deep-space missions. The Z-1 space suit provides go-anywhere garb featuring more-flexible joints, radiation protection for long stays in space and a hatch on the back that allows the suit to dock with a portal on a spacecraft or rover so an astronaut can crawl through without letting dust in or air out.


Inspired by Toy Story, brought to you by NASA.

No, that's not the tagline for NASA's next-generation spacesuits—although it very well could be, as the astronaut attire bears a shocking resemblance to Buzz Lightyear's suit in Disney Pixar's wildly popularToy Story film.

Just like Buzz's signature suit, the new Z-1 Prototype Spacesuit and Portable Life Support System 2.0 features fluorescent green stripes and a transparent domed helmet (actual space-traveling ability sold separately).

Named one of Time magazine's inventions of the year, the new spacesuit is designed for deep-space missions and—dare we say—incorporates a little out-of-this-world flair.
This isn't the only Disney/NASA crossover as of late. The companies have joined together to create an educational experience centered around the flight of Buzz Lightyear. The program is intended to encourage children and young adults to develop an interest in space exploration and discovery.

The spacesuits used by NASA at present were designed in 1992 and were fabricated especially for the crews that boarded space shuttle task force as well as spent time in International Space Station (ISS).

But with the recent retirement of space shuttle task force as well the goal of the country to land on Mars, an asteroid as well as even beyond that, NASA recognised that there was time to design technologically-equipped as well as robust spacesuits for the astronauts. 

How is the spacesuit designed?

The spacesuit is crafted out of various hard elements on the fabric. It also becomes flexible after being inflated. On the rear of the suit, astronauts may find the hatch and life support which would enable them to attach to rover or spacecraft. Apart from all this, it has urethane-coated nylon as well as polyester layers which enable the astronauts to maintain pressure as well as get greater flexibility in torso and limbs.

Getting into the spacesuit

Astronauts can get in this spacesuit via suitport which is basically a pack of hatch and life support. There is no need of an airlock for seeking entry or getting exit in and out of this suit. This means that it is possible for the astronauts to make a quick entry and exit in and out of spacesuit. This happens because the spacesuit operates at similar pressure like that of spacecraft.

The spacesuit packs in itself water membrane evaporation cooler which cools the suit through same method like sweating. It does not use the recent technique that includes sublimator which works only in hard vacuum.
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