Virgin Galactic Ponders Spacesuit Design Options

Officials from Virgin Galactic are thinking of using a James Bond movie as inspiration for designing spacesuits to be worn by passengers on their SpaceShipTwo spacecraft. The machines are scheduled to provide paying customers with suborbital joyrides starting in 2013.

The company is currently still developing its vehicle, which will launch from underneath the WhiteKnightTwo aircraft. But Virgin is also seeking to create different spacesuits than what NASA or the Russian Federal Space Agency (RosCosmos) are using.

Representatives from Virgin say that the 1979 007 film Moonraker has provided an interesting source of inspiration. As such, the company's customers could fly to space in personalized flight suits, wearing soft helmets outfitted with microphones and headphones, as well as soft-soled shoes.

Space has obtained information regarding the design of the spacesuit straight from Virgin. The company apparently also plans to design their helmets in such a way that oxygen masks can easily be attached to them in case of emergency.

At this point, a suborbital trip is expected to cost about $200,000 (€143.700). Many have already reserved their seats on the first SpaceShipTwo flights, helping the company move faster in the process. Eventually, rates may decline even further.

“Our customers will certainly have customized flight attire and a communications suite. Personal protective equipment is being studied as a part of the flight test program,” explains Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides. The entire project is the brainchild of billionaire Richard Branson.

In addition to looking amazing, there is also a practical reason for choosing soft fabrics for the spacesuits. When the SpaceShipTwo reaches orbit, the six passengers on board will float free from their seats, and into the cabin.

By dressing them in soft materials, the company ensures that the important customers will not injure themselves or others in microgravity conditions. Virgin chief medical officer, Dr. James Vanderploeg, believes that this will help boost the comfort of passengers as well.

“We're putting a lot of thought into how we make sure the zero-g portion of our customers' experience is safe. [The actual spacesuit] is an area where we continue to look at different options,” Whitesides concludes.