NASA’s Artemis III moon mission spacesuit concepts are shown by Prada and Axiom Space.
The largely white suits, which were unveiled Wednesday at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan, include stone-gray patterns on the knees and elbows and a cropped torso. The designs do feature red accent lines across the forearms, waist, and “portable life system backpacks,” which pay homage to Prada’s sub-brand, Linea Rossa, despite being glaringly devoid of branding or insignia. The stylish outfits come with several cutting-edge features.
Thanks to specially designed boots, astronauts will be able to spacewalk for at least eight hours per day. According to a joint news statement, the suits will be constructed from a white material that reflects heat, providing protection from lunar dust and extremely high temperatures.
The gender-neutral, one-size-fits-all suits have also been in development for several years. Chief Marketing Officer Lorenzo Bertelli of Prada Group said that the fashion brand has been talking about the partnership since before the 2020 Covid-19 epidemic. The spacesuit was the product of about ten Prada employees who commuted from Milan to Axiom’s headquarters in Houston.
In Milan, Bertelli told reporters, “Anyone with a lot of money can go to space today.” “People will be able to visit the moon once it becomes affordable.” In my opinion, a new era is just getting started.
Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are the most recent to cope with the aftermath of disaster politics.
In terms of politics, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are hoping that the federal government’s response to Hurricane Helene will be similar to that of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which was a relatively easy process that gave credit to the last Democratic-led White House during a presidential election season.
False allegations in Trump’s indictment include that Georgia GOP Gov. Brian Kemp had difficulty reaching Biden and that federal disaster funds went to migrants, both of which are untrue. The 2024 Republican presidential candidate has also been accused of meddling in disaster relief while in office.
In Georgia and North Carolina, swing states hit by storms and where candidates are visiting this week, the hurricane debate in this election is especially intense.
Politics around disasters is nothing new.
From the 1918–1920 flu outbreak following World War I to the onset of the COVID pandemic in 2020, disaster politics has been a mainstay of presidential politics.
Even though fall campaigns coincide with flu season, any calamity and the way the government handles it has the power to alter American politics.
1992: A cautionary tale for presidents to come
George Herbert Walker Bush is a cautionary tale.
Bush was already dealing with a faltering economy and strong competition from Democrat Bill Clinton when he ran for reelection in 1992.
Next came Hurricane Andrew in August, which devastated the southern coast of Florida.
Another story to serve as a warning: Katrina
When four storms struck Florida in six weeks during the 2004 hurricane season, another presidential election year, his son, Republican George W. Bush, was careful to keep an eye on things.
Bush suffered the following year after gaining a second term because of his careless handling of Hurricane Katrina, which served as a lesson in what not to do.
A political perspective
Some of Trump’s former government officials have accused him of playing politics with disaster relief during his time in the White House, as he attempts to attack Biden and Harris over Hurricane Helene.
According to a Politico’s E&E News story that quoted interviews, Trump was hesitant to send disaster help to places he thought were Democratic-leaning, such as California, where wildfires were raging.