SpaceX founder, Elon Musk has recently revealed the spacesuit to be used across the many different platforms the commercial space travel company is exploring as it moves closer to operating journeys to and from space. The Tesla founder used the Instagram social media platform to reveal the streamlined space suit astronauts will wear, starting with the test flights of the Dragon capsule scheduled to begin in 2018.
Design and Engineering Combine For SpaceX
The new approach taken to space suits to be used by SpaceX astronauts shows how the company and main commercial space travel rival, Boeing differ from the traditional view taken by NASA. The aesthetic design of the SpaceX suit is not only created to look impressive but has already completed double vacuum pressure testing to ensure it meets the exhaustive safety standards needed for space travel.
These initial tests have been completed to ensure astronauts will not face the extreme levels of pressure found in space and retains a level of pressure similar to that found on Earth. The impressive streamlined space suits are to enter operation on a full-time basis in 2019 when SpaceX is to begin scheduled flights to and from the International Space Station using the Dragon capsule.
SpaceX is the second of the commercial space travel industry to reveal its newly designed space suit after the Boeing Blue suit was revealed to be a streamlined suit more closely linked to the traditional NASA suit. One of the main reasons why SpaceX has been able to develop their narrow suit is the fact that no spacewalks are planned from the Dragon capsule. Elon Musk has promised more details about the construction and design of the suit that will be revealed in the coming days to explain how the suit will work in a space environment.
Image Source: Flickr