Virgin Galactic Space Suits Look Like Something out of Star Trek
Virgin Galactic’s new Star Trek-like space suits
Virgin Galactic is gearing up to send its first raft of “Space Tourists” to the edge of space, and yesterday they debuted what they’ll be wearing when they go.
A piece by The Hollywood Reporter says that at an event yesterday morning in New York, Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic showed off the custom-tailored uniforms. Quoting the piece, “The collection, designed and developed by Under Armour, includes a base layer, the spacesuit, a training suit, footwear and the limited edition jacket, tailored to each Virgin Galactic customer, or ‘future astronaut,’ who paid $250,000 for their ticket to space.”
When news of the announcement hit social media, more than a few eagle-eyed Star Trek fans noted that they have a certain “similarity” to Starfleet uniforms worn on Discovery. The athletically-shaped suits are a dark royal blue, with accents of gold stripes and self-colored textured fabric. They even feature blue and gold pull-on athletic shoes to match.
Of course, there are some distinct differences, too: for one, the new suits feature the Under Armour logo and a trail of gold ships up the back, there’s no asymmetrical collar, and a patch on the arm indicates the wearer’s country of origin. But the aesthetic is definitely familiar.
And Branson recognizes the importance of aesthetic when it comes to what astronauts wear. He said, “Spacesuits are a part of the iconography of the first space age; our visual impressions of human spaceflight and what astronauts wear are inextricably linked." As for his own, Under Armour-designed outfits, he added, “I love the way the spacewear looks and I love the way it feels. I also love the fact that the next time I put it on, I will be on my way to space.”
If you were hoping to sport one of these looks in the near future, prepare to be disappointed. According to the Virgin Galactic website, all spots at the $250,000 level have been sold. But fear not, you can still sign up to be notified when new opportunities arise.
This article was written for the podcast Daily Star Trek News.
Alison Pitt is the writer, producer, and host of Daily Star Trek News, on the Roddenberry Podcast Network. A veteran Star Trek podcaster, she started her career on the weekly show Priority One: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast in 2015. She has appeared on panels at Star Trek Las Vegas, WonderCon, and San Diego Comic Con.
