NASA's new spacesuits consist of two basic designs — an orange suit worn inside the Orion spacecraft and for spacewalks, and a white suit for moonwalks during lunar exploration.

The orange suit represents Configuration One that will be hooked up to the spacecraft for oxygen, cooling water, power and communications links. The white Configuration Two has a life support backpack and more hard metal parts in the joint areas, so that astronauts can go for a walk on the lunar surface. Designers hope that the new suits will allow astronauts to spend no more than one hour getting ready for every three hours spent outside.

NASA originally gave the contract for producing the new spacesuit to Oceaneering International Inc. of Houston, Texas. However, the space agency canceled its contract in August after citing compliance issues, and may turn to Hamilton Sundstrand instead. The latter company has supplied the spacesuit since the 1960s.

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— NASA and SPACE.com Staff

Credit: NASA