These Designers Are Building Space Suits for Civilians

Space tourism may still seem like a distant dream, but thats exactly why this brand is in business.

For Ted Southern and Nikolay Moiseeva costume designer and a Russian space suit veteran, respectivelyit all began with earning second place (and $100,000) in a challenge to design an astronaut glove that outperformed NASAs. Now a private design firm with three NASA contracts under their belt, theyre making suits that are lighter in weight and more user-friendly than todays standard astronaut garb (in other words, ideal for civilians). While the suits currently cost a cool $65,000, technology should bring that number down. Southern says a buckle that used to cost thousands of dollars to produce can now be 3-D printed for just $30.

And, since we won't be moving to the moon any time soon, they're adapting the high-tech suits into fashionable winterwear for the rest of us. Successful Kickstarter campaign permitting, the designers believe their parka will ultimately cost less than a typical Canada Goose getup. And, since they're launching in the fashion capital of the worldand in the trend-setting borough of Brooklyn, no lessthese space-suit jackets might be a fashion-forward trend in T-minus 10.

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