A spacesuit for our times
By: Lee Anderson
Tags: Design, NASA, Spacex, Space, Space Exploration

A spacesuit for our times

Futurism and nostalgia

The two most inspiring storytelling mechanisms for the space industry are nostalgia about the glory days of the Apollo era, and the hopeful draw of a better future. The figureheads of Saturday’s launch, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstein and SpaceX founder and chief engineer Elon Musk, both spoke to the importance of the launch as symbol of inspiration for spectators and the younger generation of participants.

“This is all about the next generation,” Bridenstein said. “If we have great success in our generation, it’s not enough. It has to continue. The challenge with the Apollo program is that it ended. What we are doing now is sustainable. And that’s why we have the public private partnerships and commercial capabilities that are coming online.”

“Anyone who has within them the spirit of exploration should love what is going on here today.” – Elon Musk

Images of Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken in their Dragon suits, bright white and hopeful, have already marked their place in history. Up until the day of the launch, their test suits had a clean white front panel, with the SpaceX logo on one shoulder and the NASA “meatball” on the other. On the day of the launch, the NASA worm logo had been added front and center.

Sightings of the NASA logotype (the “worm”), from left: Astronaut Mae Jemison preparing for launch; astronaut Bruce McCandless on an untethered spacewalk; the Hubble Space Telescope; astronaut Guy Bluford; and astronaut Sally Ride. Credits: NASA

The decision to bring back the NASA worm logo was symbolic. It is symbolic because of the establishment of public/private partnerships that it commemorates, and also as a sign of understanding the significance of NASA’s cool factor and cultural weight in the hearts and minds of Americans, and the world. In NASA’s own words: “The retro, modern design of the agency’s logo will help capture the excitement of a new, modern era of human spaceflight on the side of the Falcon 9 launch vehicle that will ferry astronauts to the International Space Station as part of the Demo-2 flight.”

We know Elon Musk understands the importance of aesthetics in order to inspire support and participation (“Anyone looks better in a tux, no matter what size or shape they are”). That small red logo serves its aesthetic purpose, but also sends a message. The futuristic images that starkly signal the entry to the new space age are not only connected to the space industry of yore, it is built on the dream inspired from NASA’s heritage and legacy. Without NASA, there is no SpaceX. The presence of both logos carries that bond forward.

Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley board SpaceX’s Dragon capsule for Wednesday’s scrubbed launch Image via SpaceX

Space is Unifying

What is the right message to take away from the SpaceX crew Dragon launch? #LaunchAmerica is an inspiring message on a good day, but in the context of Space exploration and the context of our time, it can be easily manipulated to serve a different agenda.

As an American, it is hard not to feel patriotic at a moment like this. It is inspiring to be a citizen in the country where a visionary individual would chose to come, and to invest his time and life’s work, culminating in a partnership with our country’s shared vision for the future. It’s also a reminder that so much of our life circumstances have nothing to do with our own actions or choices, but happenstance.

On the darkest of days, which this weekend of May 30–31, 2020 turned out to be, space exploration is a symbol of aspiration, which is based in hope. That hope is what we all need. And the successful mission from Cape Canaveral to the ISS of two astronauts (and their stuffed dinosaur) should not be packaged as a mission to re-establish the position of America as a powerful force in the world. Instead, it should stand as a humble acceptance of great responsibility.