NASA Pursues Wearable Technology

HOUSTON — Spaceflight brings a whole new meaning to dressing for success. An astronaut’s garments must be functional, yet as comfortable as possible, whether the flier is sealed inside a spacecraft or on a spacewalk. As NASA envisions a future of deep-space exploration and missions stretching from months to years, the list of wardrobe requirements soars as well. Mass, volume, durability, ease of care, even resistance to bacteria and recyclability compete with greater demands for functionality. So much so that a small team of Advanced Exploration Systems engineers from NASA’s Johnson Space Center has turned to experts from the University of Minnesota’s College of Design for help in navigating the emerging fields of functional clothing and wearable technology ...