Astronaut clothes made in Brazil

I ran to this article while browsing the net and I felt that it was such important achievement for us (brazilians), that I needed to post here in this blog :-)

Astronaut clothes made in Brazil

São Paulo - The garments that Brazilian astronaut Marcos César Pontes is going to wear during his trip to space on board of a Russian ship were made in São Paulo, SE Brazil. Two blue jumpsuits, two pairs of trousers, five polo shirts and a leather jacket are part of the baggage. The jumpsuits, which were made according to North American military norms, are already being worn by Pontes during his training.

The company from São Paulo that is responsible for his clothes is Flytex, which is specialized in garments and accessories turned to aeronauts, policemen and professionals of other tactical activities. This is the first time that the company has made an astronaut jumpsuit. "I am very pleased with the story," stated Marília Fajardo Oliveira, who is responsible for production of the garments.

According to her, the first contact with the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) took place in November last year, when a representative from the AEB saw a pilot wearing a jumpsuit made by Flytex at a shopping centre in Brazilian capital Brasília. "The first order they made was for the emblems to be stitched onto the jumpsuit," stated Marília, who made three emblems: the Brazilian flag, the symbol of the Brazilian Foreign Trade Association and of the Centenarian Mission, an honour to the first flight by Brazilian aviator Santos Dumont.

After that, the AEB asked Marília to see whether it would also be possible to make the jumpsuit for the astronaut, as he was wearing a North American one and they would like him to wear a Brazilian uniform. "I went after the necessary information and made it," she said. Production follows North American standards. She explained that the norms are similar to those used in the production of garments for pilots, which the businesswoman already sells. "Initially the jumpsuit was only going to be worn for training and press conferences, but I have heard that the astronaut is also going to wear it at the International Space Station," she commemorates.

According to Marília, the jumpsuit is navy blue and was made out of a fabric that protects against ultraviolet light and which does not fade. Another detail that differentiates her jumpsuit from the North American ones is the zipper on the sleeves, making it possible for the astronaut to wear the clothes with or without sleeves. "I created this differential because of the Brazilian tropical climate," she said, adding that she also produces this model of jumpsuit for pilots.

Marcos Pontes, who is also being trained in Russia, is going to be the first Brazilian to travel to space. The flight is going to take place on March 30, headed towards the International Space Station, 400 kilometres away from the Earth. On board of the Soyuz spacecraft, Pontes is going to travel accompanied by a Russian and a North American. He is going to take Brazilian scientific experiments for the execution of tests in an environment of micro-gravity.

posted by nscafuro @ 2:57 PM