New Spacesuit For Astronauts With Touchscreen Gloves; Boeing Hints At Using Them For Orbital Missions In 2018

A recent report noted that the multinational aerospace corporation, Boeing, has worked on a new spacesuit for astronauts. Boeing envisions to launch a set of new commercially planned orbital missions for its astronauts on the CST-100 Starliner spacecraft. The crew capsule, which is expected to begin its orbital missions in 2018, will require upgraded suits for its astronauts.

According to Boeing Starliner Crew and Missions System lead Chris Ferguson, the new spacesuit for astronauts is a big achievement that will offer more mobility to the wearer. The suits are reportedly made of lighter materials, making them more comfortable to wear and move around. Ferguson, who is a former astronaut, noted of how bulky the ones he used to wear were. He has visited the International Space Station three times during his days.

The new spacesuits for astronauts are made by Boeing in collaboration with a Massachusetts-based company known as David Clark Company. The firms noted that the new suits will let astronauts have more comfort while performing various extravehicular activities such as spacewalks.

Boeing's new spacesuit up close https://t.co/TdmyMDEBU5 pic.twitter.com/ZBpfOOPgaX

— -SocialDome- (@TheSocialDome) 12 April 2017

As far as the new spacesuit features are concerned, it comprises of touchscreen gloves as well as lightweight shoes that resemble common sneakers worn by everyday people. Tech Crunch noted that the new spacesuit is an exercise in safety, comfort, functionality and minimalism. As for statements from David Clark Company's system engineer Travis Ripps, he described that the new layout of the suit enables astronauts to do their jobs without hindrance.

Ripps noted in his statement regarding the new spacesuit for astronauts that it has been designed to offer solid pressurization from the slack at the knees and in the back while the astronauts are in their seated position during launch. He also noted that the new spacesuit ensures comfort when zipped across the stomach that prevents bunching when bent at the mid-section.

Further updates on the new spacesuit for astronauts note of incorporating a simple design. Moreover, the design is noted to be pretty dynamic and can be adjusted to fit various frames as well as six different sizes as per the needs of various astronauts. According to The National, Boeing plans on launching civilians into space by 2019. Hopefully, the new spacesuits are going to accompany those missions as well.