New Z1 Spacesuit has a hatchback design.

After 20 years of using spacesuits with no new design input and that were intended for use on the space shuttle and the International Space Station, NASA finally revealed a new astronaut pressure suit that is wearable just like normal clothes.

Although NASA engineers have no idea yet as to where the spacesuit will be used – which makes the design process more difficult – future manned missions to Mars can be one of its beneficiaries.

New spacesuit has a ‘hatchback’ feature

The new spacesuit features a ‘hatchback’ design that contains a backpack that can be attached to a rover-like vehicle or another spacecraft. The new design called ‘Z-1 Prototype Spacesuit and Portable Life Support System 2.0 or PLSS 2.0’ will make it easier for someone who wants to wear the suit because it has an entry point at the back and won’t take hours to put on like the suit currently use by astronauts.

Z1 spacesuit available in 2014

NASA engineers project that the Z1 prototype spacesuit will be usable in 2014. The new suit also doesn’t need to be filled with oxygen, a process called ‘pre-breathing’ which take hours, to create an inside pressure that’s the same as the spacecraft. The Z1 space suit is also being designed to serve as its own airlock which in effect lessens the time of putting on the vest.

Z1 design allows for efficient pressure control capability

A report from the Daily Mail stated that the new suit will have an efficient pressure control capability because of its polyester layer and urethane coated nylon materials.

The spacesuit will also hold the critical on-board electronics and the needed crew life support system that can provide oxygen and proper ventilation to easily remove carbon dioxide with the most efficient cooling mechanism.

News and image source: Daily Mail and I Heart Chaos