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NASA Chooses Tron Look for New Spacesuits


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Tech_multiangles_dark__00009.jpg

http://o.canada.com/technology/space/nasa-reveals-new-futuristic-tron-like-space-suits

No, this isnt a cool but unrealistic prop from a science fiction movie these Xenomorph tracking suits are actually NASAs next-generation concept for real spacesuits.

with 233,431 votes, the Technology option has won NASAs Z-2 Spacesuit design challenge with just over 63% of the total vote, writes NASA in a recent press release. I think technology is just code for Tron.

The Z-2 space suit also features a number of technological advances: It has a composite hard upper torso that gives it long-term durability, its shoulder and hip joints are optimized for the human bodys mobility and its boots are completely space ready (although youd assume NASAs previous spacesuits boots were also space ready.)

There are many key advances to be found in the Z-2 suit when compared to the previous Z-1. The most significant is that the Z-1 had a soft upper torso and the Z-2 has a hard composite upper torso. This composite hard upper torso provides the much-needed long-term durability that a planetary Extravehicular Activity (EVA) suit will require. The shoulder and hip joints differ significantly based on extensive evaluations performed during the last two years with the Z-1 to look at different ways of optimizing mobility of these complex joints. Lastly, the boots are much closer in nature to those that would be found on a suit ready for space, and the materials used on the Z-2 are compatible with a full-vacuum environment.

It also seems to have a cool glowing Tron strip and looks almost exactly like the space suits from Prometheus. The spacesuit will start testing in November 2014. Despite numerous cuts to NASAs budget its cool to see the space agency is still working on stuff like this.

Not only did they go with a Tron look, but they incorporated the word 'xenomorph' into it as well. Nasa nerds rock.

No word on Raffi Torres discs being used.

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Tech_multiangles_dark__00009.jpg

http://o.canada.com/technology/space/nasa-reveals-new-futuristic-tron-like-space-suits

Not only did they go with a Tron look, but they incorporated the word 'xenomorph' into it as well. Nasa nerds rock.

No word on Raffi Torres discs being used.

Working in Clear Lake, Texas, I have met some of those nerds. Pretty cool group of men and women. Last week they disassembled the old 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft and then moved it from Ellington Field to Space Center Houston, which was about 6 miles. http://arstechnica.com/science/2014/04/gallery-nasas-shuttle-carrying-747-makes-final-journey-to-museum/ Not every day you get to see something like that.
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