Virgin Galactic is in the process of completing its final test flights and it’s believed that the company could finally start its commercial space flight program in just a few months. The passengers who will fly 50 miles into the atmosphere on Virgin Atlantic’s SpaceShipTwo will wear a special spacesuit created by Under Armour, which was revealed by the company’s founder Sir Richard Branson just a day after NASA introduced the spacesuits its astronauts will wear on future Moon and Mars missions. Created especially for passengers on Virgin Galactic flights, the Under Armour space gear includes a base layer, spacesuit and boots. Each of the spacesuits will be made specifically to fit Galactic’s individual customers. “Spacesuits are a part of the iconography of the first space age; our visual impressions of human spaceflight and what astronauts wear are inextricably linked,” Branson said in a statement. “I love the way the spacewear looks, and I love the way it feels. I also love the fact that the next time I put it on, I will be on my way to space.”
Under Armour is one of the leading names in the apparel industry for professional athletes and it was the first time for the company to develop something for outer space. The suits that have to wear by people suborbital flights are quite challenging to create. Under Armour had to develop the space gear with “input” from a wide range of different people, including doctors, pilots, clothing designers, and astronaut trainers. “Going to space presents an entirely new challenge for us,” Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank said. “We’ve had to put a dedicated team at the very best at Under Armour that’s been working day and night.” While the Under Armour spacesuit will only be created for the passengers for Virgin Atlantic’s space flights, the company will sell a limited number of space boots and Galactic T-shirts to the public. Virgin Atlantic currently has a waitlist of more than 600 passengers from across the world who have reserved a ticket for $250,000 apiece.
[Via:Engadget]
