NASA still has not decided on a space suit for future missions, and it's getting a little silly – BGR



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NASA is on the brink of an incredibly exciting time in space exploration. Humanity has discovered incredibly interesting things about Mars as well as other bodies within our solar system, and new spacecraft are being developed that will allow humans to travel faster and further than ever before. . With all this, you might think that the astronaut wardrobe is NASA's least concern, but you can not have more trouble.

A new space suit for astronauts on long-haul missions and potential lunar visits. Even Mars is missing in the action. The NASA astronaut's coveralls for spacewalks at the International Space Station are total relics, and the latest wetsuits on the surface of anything other than Earth (the Moon) now collect dust. in museums. This is a problem.

As the Daily Beast reports, the situation is more serious than anyone could realize. The EVAs that astronauts wear outside the ISS are massive and bulky, and their design has changed very little since the 1970s. In addition, of the 18 EVA suits built at Originally, only 11 of them still work, and they are only made in three sizes, which is unsuitable for some astronauts.

NASA outsourced the design of new models. space suits for various contractors, and these projects have resulted in prototypes that would seem to be a huge step forward. However, none of these projects resulted in fully functional equipment, according to a recent government audit. These projects have given NASA $ 200 million, without showing anything, but some prototypes of what a new diving suit might look like.

With plans that are rapidly approaching a lunar starting point for space missions and trips to places like Mars, knowing what the crew is going to wear during these travels is one of the best vital importance. It is quite clear that decisions on a new space suit are lagging behind – which is becoming a trend in this new space race – and the astronauts who take these missions would surely like to know what they are going to wear.

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