NASA shows off its futuristic new Z-2 space suit

On Wednesday, NASA announced the winner of its space suit design challenge: An external layer named "Technology," sporting glow-in-the-dark patterns and electroluminescent wiring, took the top spot with 147,354 votes, or about 63 percent of the ballots cast.

The external cover layer will now become part of the prototype Z-2 space suit, expected to be ready for testing by November. The goal of this new suit? To advance and develop technologies that will lead to the creation of a Z-3 suit (or a future Z-class iteration) that will allow astronauts to walk on Mars.

The Z-2 prototype has made several improvements over Z-1, notably its hard upper torso. The new external cover will protect the non-flight suit from abrasion and snags during testing, NASA said in a statement, while the cover on flight suits will protect the astronaut from extreme temperatures in space and the effects of radiation.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up