Under Armour finally unveiled the spacesuits it created for the first space tourists that will venture into outer space next year. The collection includes footwear, a training suit, and a private astronaut-centric space suit.
According to CNBC, Under Armour worked closely with Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic project in a bid to create suits that will work best for the first tourists who will venture into outer space.
As of writing, ticker prices for a single Virgin Galactic ticket sit at $250,000. Flights are scheduled for 2020 on the spacecraft that is expected to carry two pilots and up to six passengers.
The space venture company revealed that Under Armour's spacewear was developed under the guidance of expert pilots, astronaut trainers, stylists, and even doctors. The suits will also be tailored specifically for each passenger to ensure safety.
Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank explained that the suits were created with space environments in mind. He said the company's Rush client yarn is embedded in the suits' material to help human muscles recover.
The Virgin Galactic mission is currently on the final stages of testing its spacecraft as the company rushes to ensure safety before flights kick off sometime next year. While there is no exact date yet, the company said it already has 603 customers on the backlog as of June.
Aside from preparing for the first commercial flights to take off in 2020, the world's first human spaceflight firm announced that it is looking into going public before the year ends. The initial public offering (IPO) is planned on the New York Stock Exchange.
Earlier this month, American jet maker Boeing announced plans to invest $20 million into the space tourism mission. At that time, Branson noted that the collaboration is just the beginning of joint efforts by air and space travel firms.
The collaboration has yet to be inked after Branson's brainchild goes public. Some analysts say the deal may even come at a later date after the tourist space mission completes its first flight.
Despite the initial buzz for the Boeing-Virgin Galactic collaboration, excitement for joint projects with the U.S. jet maker died down over the past months following the grounding of 737 Max fleets.
Safety concerns were raised by global regulators after two Boeing 737 Max crashes within a period of five months took place. On Wednesday, United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz was less optimistic about the exact timeline of the jet's return to air travel.
It remains to be seen whether Virgin Galactic's supposed collaborations with Boeing will push through.
