![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GPZHNVNUDQAAF5W2WFT64L5QZ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=dc74c5c712ac751827e0c5623559c68ade553b1a924717dd765c335e5983aac2&width=400&height=225)
Stormtroopers. Do they have the coolest space suit? Jonathan Olley / Lucasfilm-Disney via AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FHGDIIYPFLY3Z3CLXAUZGBDUN4.jpg?smart=true&auth=22a0a98975fcaf57b8d9adfa2c460c7bdbfc9d81887a500f9705b26e6839bc3b&width=400&height=225)
The Vostok SK-1, worn by Yuri Gagarin from the Soviet Union who was the first human in space. Courtesy: Nasa
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ENQWAXJVFAKU2H3YFIWWJPWPMU.jpg?smart=true&auth=aec2fad5029047dface2700ba57c4c48b2d5a875a545e0abb1fb0c5e8849c6a4&width=400&height=225)
The Vostok SK-1 was used until 1963. Leon Neal / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/M4G5M7YHPWG3JM4P4QFQMPOWGQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=2fb9b2c0b7b7f5a506e7462552f8404784cb340fb1c80fd066bb03c1898d8875&width=400&height=225)
The MK IV full pressure suit worn by US astronaut John Glenn. Courtesy: Nasa
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CC5TJ4XPQCY5Q53DMYXARVZNVM.jpg?smart=true&auth=c42d7cf0901a8a6c3d7665967549d74661fe76c5f4f92f6203f3f9d6e3b8102b&width=400&height=225)
The Berkut spacesuit, worn by Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, doing the world's first space walk in 1965. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SKKN3BCP4IVYERZH7LHPSUYJR4.jpg?smart=true&auth=9105edd9deb9b34812f5e0e2f5862e8b0d7b2f617ea0f86272371425c0437028&width=400&height=225)
The AL-7 as worn by Neil Armstrong when he became the first man to walk on the Moon in July 1969. Courtesy: Nasa
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NZOJTM5Q5AU6VDROOKY22KZX3Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=a0f92ab5df3d589a3f01776117af48f0a5ed84c168c7598a9ae9ef7d3dab9e04&width=400&height=225)
The 'extravehicular mobility unit' introduced in 1981. This two piece suit was designed for space walks of up to eight hours. Courtesy: Nasa
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WNB2EEMNQVT467VW3V4EXQRGLQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=2dbd257bf12901442e28311aec32d7dac1bc9289edc5eae149b17c93456c593e&width=400&height=225)
The 'pumpkin' suit adopted by Nasa for Space Shuttle missions after 1988. The orange fabric was felt to stand out better against the black of space. Nasa / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6CVSUOUUTQHIHEGYGLAILBNYUM.jpg?smart=true&auth=da6185cafd7ad5c02eebf35759eb88179242adc4c8e1dd9503cc7c53f4c360d2&width=400&height=225)
The Sokol suit, introduced in 1973 and still worn by astronauts on the Russian Soyuz to this day. This was the suit worn by the first UAE astronaut, Hazza Al Mansoori last year. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VKGVFRP2B2JNXQYDMRGANFR7HU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e07aef8ca99dc4f149f0e24a8474caaed36e26a8a5fe00e7e74beb46346ccbd1&width=400&height=225)
Designed for the Boeing Starliner capsule, its blue flight outfit is said to be 40 per cent lighter than the old Nasa suits. Courtesy: Boeing
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RQTZPC4LYUMA6HSGOUAZDHQR2E.jpg?smart=true&auth=a287b12950b9c1a05f4f10e91cc370cb0f42499b28723dd7a6f1c14305349d4e&width=400&height=225)
SpaceX Dragon suits made with the help of Hollywood costume designer, Jose Fernandez, who had worked on superhero films like 'Batman v Superman' and 'The Fantastic Four'. SpaceX via AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4BF64XRWYQ7K6VBUUXL5G77XXE.jpg?smart=true&auth=0a7207a5e2b464dcce12225a2efdec07298a2be20cb7c5247c98497fb287e27b&width=400&height=225)
The space suits worn by comic book hero, Tintin, on his 1953 'Destination Moon'. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QBWR4MC3NYR77UHXWJK7K7QZN4.jpg?smart=true&auth=80758441d1f9cb85469adcf0c2ba85f0ced56b52e3c31ce1f91f3f23ba96072f&width=400&height=225)
A movie still from Stanley Kubrick's 1968 science fiction film '2001: A Space Odyssey' starring Gary Lockwood. Courtesy: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/R5BON3MUJLIQDU577Z575W2YLU.jpg?smart=true&auth=9584db24f711212fed54fdeed27608589ef51366acab248e3b367b9df16274ce&width=400&height=225)
Flash Gordon, the original space hero. Universal/ Kobal / Shutterstock
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GPZHNVNUDQAAF5W2WFT64L5QZ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=dc74c5c712ac751827e0c5623559c68ade553b1a924717dd765c335e5983aac2&width=400&height=225)
Stormtroopers. Do they have the coolest space suit? Jonathan Olley / Lucasfilm-Disney via AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FHGDIIYPFLY3Z3CLXAUZGBDUN4.jpg?smart=true&auth=22a0a98975fcaf57b8d9adfa2c460c7bdbfc9d81887a500f9705b26e6839bc3b&width=400&height=225)
The Vostok SK-1, worn by Yuri Gagarin from the Soviet Union who was the first human in space. Courtesy: Nasa
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ENQWAXJVFAKU2H3YFIWWJPWPMU.jpg?smart=true&auth=aec2fad5029047dface2700ba57c4c48b2d5a875a545e0abb1fb0c5e8849c6a4&width=400&height=225)
The Vostok SK-1 was used until 1963. Leon Neal / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/M4G5M7YHPWG3JM4P4QFQMPOWGQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=2fb9b2c0b7b7f5a506e7462552f8404784cb340fb1c80fd066bb03c1898d8875&width=400&height=225)
The MK IV full pressure suit worn by US astronaut John Glenn. Courtesy: Nasa
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/CC5TJ4XPQCY5Q53DMYXARVZNVM.jpg?smart=true&auth=c42d7cf0901a8a6c3d7665967549d74661fe76c5f4f92f6203f3f9d6e3b8102b&width=400&height=225)
The Berkut spacesuit, worn by Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov, doing the world's first space walk in 1965. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/SKKN3BCP4IVYERZH7LHPSUYJR4.jpg?smart=true&auth=9105edd9deb9b34812f5e0e2f5862e8b0d7b2f617ea0f86272371425c0437028&width=400&height=225)
The AL-7 as worn by Neil Armstrong when he became the first man to walk on the Moon in July 1969. Courtesy: Nasa
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NZOJTM5Q5AU6VDROOKY22KZX3Q.jpg?smart=true&auth=a0f92ab5df3d589a3f01776117af48f0a5ed84c168c7598a9ae9ef7d3dab9e04&width=400&height=225)
The 'extravehicular mobility unit' introduced in 1981. This two piece suit was designed for space walks of up to eight hours. Courtesy: Nasa
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WNB2EEMNQVT467VW3V4EXQRGLQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=2dbd257bf12901442e28311aec32d7dac1bc9289edc5eae149b17c93456c593e&width=400&height=225)
The 'pumpkin' suit adopted by Nasa for Space Shuttle missions after 1988. The orange fabric was felt to stand out better against the black of space. Nasa / AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6CVSUOUUTQHIHEGYGLAILBNYUM.jpg?smart=true&auth=da6185cafd7ad5c02eebf35759eb88179242adc4c8e1dd9503cc7c53f4c360d2&width=400&height=225)
The Sokol suit, introduced in 1973 and still worn by astronauts on the Russian Soyuz to this day. This was the suit worn by the first UAE astronaut, Hazza Al Mansoori last year. AFP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VKGVFRP2B2JNXQYDMRGANFR7HU.jpg?smart=true&auth=e07aef8ca99dc4f149f0e24a8474caaed36e26a8a5fe00e7e74beb46346ccbd1&width=400&height=225)
Designed for the Boeing Starliner capsule, its blue flight outfit is said to be 40 per cent lighter than the old Nasa suits. Courtesy: Boeing
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RQTZPC4LYUMA6HSGOUAZDHQR2E.jpg?smart=true&auth=a287b12950b9c1a05f4f10e91cc370cb0f42499b28723dd7a6f1c14305349d4e&width=400&height=225)
SpaceX Dragon suits made with the help of Hollywood costume designer, Jose Fernandez, who had worked on superhero films like 'Batman v Superman' and 'The Fantastic Four'. SpaceX via AP
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/4BF64XRWYQ7K6VBUUXL5G77XXE.jpg?smart=true&auth=0a7207a5e2b464dcce12225a2efdec07298a2be20cb7c5247c98497fb287e27b&width=400&height=225)
The space suits worn by comic book hero, Tintin, on his 1953 'Destination Moon'. Getty
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/QBWR4MC3NYR77UHXWJK7K7QZN4.jpg?smart=true&auth=80758441d1f9cb85469adcf0c2ba85f0ced56b52e3c31ce1f91f3f23ba96072f&width=400&height=225)
A movie still from Stanley Kubrick's 1968 science fiction film '2001: A Space Odyssey' starring Gary Lockwood. Courtesy: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/R5BON3MUJLIQDU577Z575W2YLU.jpg?smart=true&auth=9584db24f711212fed54fdeed27608589ef51366acab248e3b367b9df16274ce&width=400&height=225)
Flash Gordon, the original space hero. Universal/ Kobal / Shutterstock
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/GPZHNVNUDQAAF5W2WFT64L5QZ4.jpg?smart=true&auth=dc74c5c712ac751827e0c5623559c68ade553b1a924717dd765c335e5983aac2&width=400&height=225)
Stormtroopers. Do they have the coolest space suit? Jonathan Olley / Lucasfilm-Disney via AP
From Star Wars to Elon Musk's 'space tux' - the style journey of astronaut suits
Why the next generation of astronauts is the most stylish to date
![James Langton](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/https%3A%2F%2Fs3.amazonaws.com%2Farc-authors%2Fthenational%2F59aec61e-41b3-468c-8a69-57168338145b.png?smart=true&auth=20537dd68c837a65707d347b248e74bad34b378390f02a7be13b68d756185b99&width=70&height=70)
James Langton
22 November, 2020
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