One giant leap for space fashion

July 30, 2007 8:43 AM

Bringing sexy back...to NASA? Sci-fi fans have witnessed many imaginings of the space suit. The skintight BioSuit is based on the concept of providing a "second skin" to astronauts.
posted by Blue Buddha (29 comments total)

NASAtoe?
posted by ao4047 at 8:44 AM on July 30, 2007

The appeal of anything form-fitting is entirely dependent upon the form it is fitted to.
posted by Wolfdog at 8:45 AM on July 30, 2007 [1 favorite]

I find drunk and dangerously unhinged sexy, and they already have a lock on that.
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:47 AM on July 30, 2007 [1 favorite]

Needs beer can holder.
posted by found missing at 8:48 AM on July 30, 2007 [1 favorite]

NASAtoe isn't always what it seems: "Aye, and Gomorrah". Speaking of finding dangerously unhinged sexy.
posted by Slithy_Tove at 8:54 AM on July 30, 2007

If you click on some of the photos, they are NASA photos, but the text says "CREDIT MUST BE GIVEN IN FULL", but NASA photos should be public domain...
posted by delmoi at 8:55 AM on July 30, 2007

Hey, they had miniskirts on Star Trek and spandex on Buck Rodgers. So, basically, by the year 2010 or so our space program hopes to have women in space dressing like we wanted them to in 1960.
posted by XQUZYPHYR at 8:56 AM on July 30, 2007

Cool, it'll make dry humping a lot easier for the astronauts.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:57 AM on July 30, 2007

a couple extra zippers and we finally know who's who in the three-dolphin club.
posted by GuyZero at 9:02 AM on July 30, 2007

Not just women, XQUZYPHYR.
posted by Greg Nog at 9:05 AM on July 30, 2007

The BioSuit fabric incorporates a gas pressure system which exerts pressure directly onto the wearer's skin.

Can someone translate this from sciencewritese to English?
posted by DU at 9:08 AM on July 30, 2007

Forget the beer can holder, those lushy astronauts need flask pockets.
posted by miss lynnster at 9:12 AM on July 30, 2007

Also, I want John Varley's nullsuits. And teeth-implanted phone system. And nanobot toothbrushes. And massive central computer, after they fix it.

WHY MUST I LIVE IN THE BARBARIC PAST??
posted by DU at 9:16 AM on July 30, 2007

If you click on some of the photos, they are NASA photos, but the text says "CREDIT MUST BE GIVEN IN FULL", but NASA photos should be public domain...

ALERT CORY DOCTOROW IMMEDIATELY.
posted by mendel at 9:19 AM on July 30, 2007 [7 favorites]

I all seriousness (and despite the suggested distraction factor) I'm betting that astronauts everywhere are rejoicing. Should make getting around a hell of a lot easier.
posted by purephase at 9:28 AM on July 30, 2007

I'm betting that astronauts everywhere are rejoicing.

I'm betting that the astronauts who will actually wear these suits haven't even been born yet. Even the prototypes aren't ready, let alone the years of rigorous testing NASA puts things through.
posted by DU at 9:32 AM on July 30, 2007

OMG MENDEL... I just shot salad through my nose laughing.. I didn't even know that was possible..
posted by PissOnYourParade at 9:32 AM on July 30, 2007

Black would be more slimming and no one looks good with terrarium on their head, what were they thinking?
posted by doctor_negative at 9:46 AM on July 30, 2007

The appeal of anything form-fitting is entirely dependent upon the form it is fitted to.

No kidding. I mean here's that same suit as modeled by rockin roll heart-throb, Ann Wilson.
posted by dgaicun at 9:56 AM on July 30, 2007 [1 favorite]

The BioSuit fabric incorporates a gas pressure system which exerts pressure directly onto the wearer's skin.

DU - translation:

You need pressure on your body in space or the lack of pressure in space will pretty much make you puff up and sort of explode - nasty. The old suits provide the pressure by creating an outer skin and innery pressurized area. The suits were really mini-space ships.

These new suits need to create pressure on your skin so that you don't turn all icky-gooy and die in the vacuum of space. They do this by having a gas pressure system from the description - I believe it is the webbing you sort of see in the suit pictures.

Basically, if they screw up the suit in any way, the wearer is F'd.
posted by Muddler at 10:02 AM on July 30, 2007

From the description, it sounds different from that, Muddler.

It sounds like:

Normal space suits provide a pressurized environment by putting you in a tiny spaceship, so that when you bend your arms you have to bend a tiny spaceship. You are in tiny spacesuit, and air squishes you like it does on Earth.*

This one provides a pressurized environment by directly squishing you without a middleman. The only part that should be in atmosphere is your head and lungs -- the rest of you goes directly from skin to Garment Of Great Smushing, or the Mother Of All Compression Shorts, without any air in between.**

I'd bet the webbing is for temperature control. But I wouldn't bet much.

KS Robinson had these in the RGB Mars books.

*But less so, since US-style space suits use pure O2 at 20% pressure instead of 20% O2 at 100% pressure, or something like that anyhow.

**Except what gets trapped when you put it on, I guess. And whatever atmospheric elements you might emit while suited.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:19 AM on July 30, 2007

They do need some care in design, though. Any concave areas on the body that the suit does not hug will bulge out under internal body pressure until it fills the void (i.e., your armpits will become armhills). Putty or fluid filled bladders will be needed to prevent this. Care must be taken around those nether regions, the small of the back, and in certain locations of the female chest.

And upon entering vacuum, one will have an instant attack of dire flatulence. Don't be polite, let it out right away or you may damage your intestines.

It's just too easy to go there.
posted by Kadin2048 at 10:56 AM on July 30, 2007

NASA's going to have to do better than this to bring the sexy back, now that we're aware of the diapers. I think they're going to have to call the sexy long-distance and beg and plead for it to come home.

The sexy will then politely inform NASA that it has moved on and is seeing new people.
posted by Tehanu at 1:03 PM on July 30, 2007 [1 favorite]

And upon entering vacuum, one will have an instant attack of dire flatulence. Don't be polite, let it out right away or you may damage your intestines.

In space, no one can hear you ... Yeah, too easy, but really, the only way anybody is going to know you just farted is if they're staring at your ass and see it vibrate. And I'd way rather make gas every time in one of these suits than just once in a traditional suit.

Also, not to be all misogynistic-y or anything, but Professor Newman is way cute.
posted by Skwirl at 1:27 PM on July 30, 2007 [1 favorite]

Also, partial-body vacuum exposure doesn't seem to be that big of a deal. Ya ain't going to explode.
posted by Skwirl at 1:50 PM on July 30, 2007

Also, not to be all misogynistic-y or anything, but Professor Newman is way cute

Nothing says "I hate women" quite like finding them appealing.
posted by Jezztek at 1:59 PM on July 30, 2007

Men are usually judged on basis of their accomplishment in our society. Women are most often judged on basis of their appearance in society (and a lot of Metafilter.) That's prejudice, which is an element of misogyny. But that discussion is neither here nor there. I suppose I was just trying to sound erudite and self-referential and pretentious and you caught me. Bully on you. If you want to discuss it futher, you can find my email.
posted by Skwirl at 2:41 PM on July 30, 2007

Space porn: it's just a matter of time.
posted by rougy at 5:45 PM on July 30, 2007

hee hee.. "arm-hills"
posted by sleep_walker at 11:41 PM on July 30, 2007