Give a national museum a 3D scanner and it’ll archive its entire collection. Give it an X-ray machine though, and it’ll show you the innards of a space suit. As part of its Suited for Space exhibit, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum ran a series of astronauts’ work-wear through a CT scanner. The results (above and below) are more than a little haunting, with all manner of hidden buckles, straps and sensors exposed against ghostly transparent fabrics. Why X-rays? Because according to Wired, the Smithsonian wanted to see how the suits were put together, but deconstructing them without damage wasn’t exactly feasible. Seeing the level of detail required to keep our spacewalkers safe on the job via online pictures is one thing, but scoping it out in person is likely much cooler. If you want an up-close look for yourself, you have until December 1st to make the trip to Washington, D.C.
Via: The Verge
Source: Wired, Smithsonian
NASA is developing a “do-it-all” spacesuit that can traverse the moon, the planet Mars, or an asteroid. It seems as if the astronauts are trying to hit three birds with one stone with this next generation spacesuit. It’s called the Z-1 prototype spacesuit, and yes, it’s designed for versatility. Whether it’s exploring alien surfaces or floating in space outside a space station, the Z-1 prototype can reportedly outlast the radiation in deep space. So, let’s take a closer look into the spacesuit.
