NASA Space Apps Challenge 2014

Are you an astronaut? We’re taking commissions to make you beautiful and useful, internet connected clothing and accessories to wear in space. Get in touch and we’ll make something for you!

It’s that time of year again when I get to head down to the Met Office in Exeter and put on my space suit for NASA’s Space Apps Challenge – an international mass collaboration focused on space exploration that takes place over 48-hours in cities around the world. It’s a lot of fun.

Previously I’ve had Mini Me 3D printed and a 3D printed space ship to fly me in
mini_jon_capsule

been launched into the atmosphere on balloons
balloon_launch_jon

and interviewed astronauts and space scientists for advice on how best to hack my way into space

Like I say, it’s fun. Serious fun because I’m doing it all under the auspices of the Unlimited Space Agency and as part of our mission to inspire, recruit and train the scientists and space explorers of the future.

And this year I’m joining in with a challenge to design and build some internet connected space clothing and accessories. I’ll be working with NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre, Professor Jon Rogers (UNSA’s Head of Hack) and tutors and students from Exeter College to design, make and hack a new space suit and accessories that are both beautiful and useful for astronauts to wear. And as always, we’ll be joined on Skype by our brilliant patron the British and European Space Agency astronaut Tim Peake to advise us – we’re hoping to make something uniquely useful and cool for him.

So if you’ve got any ideas for clothing or wearables that we could have a go at making, then leave a comment or get in touch with me over on twitter at @unspaceagency and we’ll see what we can do.

And if you’re an astronaut (or know one) then please get in touch, share your measurements and we’ll tailor something bespoke to your requirements.

Let’s go to space!