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 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.
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