What do Victoria's Secret runway models have in common with space travel?
The answer — besides both being out of this world — one runway costume designer is now also part designer of the next-generation spacesuit.
The suit was tested by 12 future astronauts Tuesday at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as part of "Project PoSSUM."
Final Frontier Design, based in Brooklyn, New York, designed the spacesuit with NASA's seal of approval.
The company was co-founded by two designers: Nikolay Moiseev, a former cosmonaut spacesuit designer; and Ted Southern, who brought to the company an unlikely connection to fashion: The Victoria's Secret runway.
"He was one of the people who fabricated wings for their runway show," Kari Love, Final Frontier Design's chief pattern maker and fabricator, said of Southern.
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Both the runway wings and the spacesuit were designed with different engineering specifications — one aesthetic, the other functional for space travel.
"I think he is a man of incredible skill, to be able to go from space to the runway," said Jonna Ocampo, who hopes to one day soar into space. "I mean, it doesn't get any better than that."
Company leaders say NASA will be looking at how well this suit does during testing, primarily how the men and women testing the suit at Embry-Riddle can work under pressure using simulators and in flight.
Spacesuits used by NASA right now weigh anywhere from 25–30 pounds. Final Frontier's weighs just 15 pounds.
"When you're talking about spaceflight, it's price per pound for fuel, and so any weight reduction equals a direct cost reduction," said Love.
The next-generation suit's gloves are designed to be more sensitive to the touch.
"I had great dexterity when I was using them," said Peter Freeland, an astronaut who has worn both suits, the old and the new. "I was able to make all the adjustments, flip the switches, and I could even operate my iPhone."
Another cost-cutting feature is the ability of the suit to be one-size-fits-all. A 5-foot-1-inch tall astronaut can wear the same suit as a 6-foot-1-inch tall astronaut.
Company leaders say the suits worn by astronauts today are three times more expensive Final Frontier's next-generation suit and need to be custom-made for each astronaut, something which also adds up to cost savings if NASA finally approves this new suit.