Decathlon lends sports expertise to spacesuit design
Sports retailer Decathlon has joined partners to produce EuroSuit, a spacesuit prototype that will be tested by astronaut Sophie Adenot aboard the International Space Station next year.
Designed to enhance safety and ergonomics during launch and landing, the EuroSuit can be donned or removed in under two minutes, completely autonomously.
Decathlon’s Advanced Innovation division designed the textile and ergonomic solutions, demonstrating its ability to transfer its sports innovation expertise and explore how its innovations can be adapted to the most demanding contexts.
The prototype incorporates a lattice-structured helmet for perfectly tailored fits to each astronaut’s morphology; bellows integrated at the shoulders, elbows knees for maximum mobility; and sealed, user-friendly zips.
Sébastien Haquet, head of advanced innovation at Decathlon, said: “The EuroSuit embodies our ability to push the boundaries of innovation beyond our traditional fields of expertise. It is a remarkable opportunity to explore new applications for our textile and product design know-how in an environment as demanding as space.”
Image: The first intra-vehicular Space Suit Prototype developed by CNES, Spartan Space, Medes and Decathlon
