HOLLOMAN
AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico Being a
well-dressed suborbital space traveler translates into style as well as safety.
Orbital
Outfitters strutted out the world's first commercial spacesuit here at the X
Prize Cup festivities their approach to solving the engineering, safety and
marketing appeal of an emergency crew suit.
Dubbed the
Industrial Suborbital Space Suit-Crew (or IS3C for short), the garment was
presented in catwalk-like fashion, a first generation prototype that Orbital
Outfitters envision as the new free-fall collection of apparel.
Jeff Feige,
Chief Executive Officer for Orbital Outfitters, was master of ceremonies for
the space suit's debut. He noted that the lines are getting longer for those
making reservations to fly aboard the first suborbital spaceliners. "Our
mission is to provide low-cost, industrial quality spacesuits and related
services to companies providing commercial and government space travel," he
related in a press statement.
The idea is
to create a high quality IS3C system for space flight crews. Orbital Outfitters
is implementing a leasing arrangement for the suit to help contain up-front
costs for customers.
An array of
new technologies has been incorporated in the IS3C suits. Modern fabrics as
well as special materials let "sweat" out while still maintaining a pressurized
environment.
Fashion
conscious
Paraded on
stage, the suit has all the needs of the more fashion conscious among us
melding style and function, but also a bit retro in appearance. Customers don't
just want to know they are safe, but they want to look good as well, pointed
out officials from Orbital Outfitters. And the helmet comes complete with
easy-to-use visor too.
While
looking smart in space is one thing, the IS3C is no toy. It is crafted to keep the
wearer alive in the event of a cabin de-pressurization during a suborbital
jaunt.
The outer
layer of the suit has been designed to be customizable to the needs of the
companies that is any select color of a commercial suborbital flight
operator.
Orbital
Outfitters has its first customer XCOR Aerospace in Mojave, California, an entrepreneurial up-start
delving into rocket powered vehicles for private consumer space travel.
Chris
Gilman, Chief Designer of the new suit pointed out: "We are already designing
some very cool spacesuits for our customers that go well beyond even the IS3C
in their design elements. After all, we not only have to be able to save a
person's life in an emergency, we have to make him or her look and feel good at
the same time."
Still, one
female in the audience that's already plunked her money down for a suborbital
flight commented: "Safety is one thing...but it'll make me look big."
For more
information, go to: www.orbitaloutfitters.com
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