Astronaut spacesuits have evolved significantly since the early days of space exploration, beginning with the bulky Project Mercury suits in 1959, designed for high-altitude pilots and tailored for each astronaut. By 1965, the Project Gemini suits introduced flexible designs with integrated air conditioning and improved insulation, culminating in the Apollo suits of 1968, which allowed for greater mobility on the Moon. The Space Shuttle era brought bright, recognizable “pumpkin suits,” optimized for visibility during emergencies. Meanwhile, the Russian Orlan suits, developed in 1977, offered a unique entry design for quick donning during spacewalks.
