TEXTILES.ORG
Los Angeles-based textile engineering company Fabdesigns Inc. has announced that its flat-knitted armored compression spacesuit has been selected as one of the top 20 finalists in the “LAUNCH 2013 Systems Challenge.”
The company’s initial focus for the new fabric is NASA’s potential space mission to Mars, since astronauts would be exposed to an extremely hostile environment, requiring a fabric that will protect the wearer from hazards emanating from outer space, the space craft itself, and health problems from the human body’s reaction to antigravity conditions.
The 3D integrated fabric, the company says, is a flexible, elastic and durable body-hugging suit that is flame retardant without chemicals, antimicrobial and odor resistant, laceration resistant, anti-static, corrosion resistant, EMF microwave and RF shielded, while also serving as a compression garment.
Applications for use on Earth are also foreseen. Radiation is a danger faced by the military, health care workers, and the first-responders, the company says. Next generation versions would be applied in these market areas.
NASA, USAID, the U.S. Department of State, and NIKE joined together to form LAUNCH in an effort to identify, showcase and support innovative approaches to sustainability challenges. (www.launch.org).
