SpaceX makes history with flashy new EVA spacesuits

This image made from a SpaceX video shows SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis emerging from the capsule, Thursday Sept. 12, 2024. (SpaceX via AP)

At 700 kilometres above Earth, Thursday’s historic SpaceX spacewalk took place higher than any previous NASA spacewalk, and featured cutting-edge technology.

According to SpaceX, the new extravehicular activity (EVA) astronaut suits are more innovative and an overall improvement from SpaceX’s previous ones. The high-tech EVA suit also has display capabilities inside the helmet, which provides vital information about the suit during the spacewalk.

SpaceX officials say the suits are more comfortable and are flexible enough to be worn during launch and landing, which eliminates the need to have separate suits during the mission.

CTV science and technology expert Dan Riskin said the new suits are critical to the entire privately funded five-day mission.

“Space suits have to do so many things and so the added piece is that they’re trying to make them look cool, and they’re trying to make them lightweight, and they’re trying to make them flexible,” said Riskin. “That’s a big ask for a technology that has so many life-saving roles, and so testing space suits is arguably an even bigger piece of this than the spaceship itself.”

During Thursday morning’s spacewalk, SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis was able read out data from her helmet display, while venturing outside of the Dragon capsule.

Retired astronaut Chris Hadfield recalled his own experience walking in space and the suit he wore –- models that would be considered outdated today.

“The space suit that I wore for my first two spacewalks was old. I mean, it was designed in the sixties and built in the early 1980’s,” said Hadfield. “This one, they've used latest manufacturing techniques right from the beginning, integrating everything together, trying to make it as simple for the crew as possible.”

Hadfield added the new SpaceX EVA suits are easy to get on and off and are made flexible, so movement is easier.

SpaceX highlighting these new EVA spacesuits comes as NASA prepares to unveil new sleeker and flexible spacesuits that astronauts will wear when they reach the moon later this decade.

The exact details about the suits are still a secret, but it is expected the suits will be white like NASA's Apollo program suits, more than 50 years ago.