A space suit is a crucial element for astronauts to wear during their time in space. These suits protect astronauts from the intense heat and cold of space as well as radiation exposure.
For future missions, NASA wants to see more flexible and lightweight suits that don’t require heavy batteries. This would make it easier to move around in a spacesuit and help astronauts avoid fatigue while they’re working hard.
Prometheus
The latest Ridley Scott sci-fi offering, Prometheus, is a strange little film that may or may not be relevant to the Alien franchise. Set 30 years before the events of the first film, it explores the origins of the aliens that end up swarming around Ripley and her crew in Alien.
The movie begins with a space crew sent to examine a missing space ship that mysteriously resurfaces. It’s an atmospheric horror flick that features a great cast, and it also has one of the most shocking endings you’ll ever see in a science fiction movie.
But the film isn’t just about killing monsters: Prometheus also asks some significant questions about humanity’s relationship to God, creation, evolution and science. And it avoids some of the dogmatic answers that have become so common in many popular science fiction films.
In the movie, Weyland personnel and mercenaries wear space suits made of synthetic alloy kevlar composites. They feature a variety of Weyland patented features including a cadium exo-skeleton integrated info display.
These suit have a range of environmental systems designed to keep the wearer comfortable and healthy. These include a ventilation system, life support and a HUD display to show vital statistics, mission details, environmental conditions, etc.
There are also a number of identifying tags on the space suit that make them easier to recognize from a distance. These are typically in all-caps and are placed near the breast of the suit.
This was done to make it easier to read in low light and at a distance. The tags also have a bold pattern to help them stand out from a background of black and white.
Star Trek: Discovery
Star Trek: Discovery is a sci-fi show that stars Michael Burnham, a USS Discovery captain who leads her crew through a war between the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire. The series starts around ten years before the events of Star Trek: The Original Series.
This first season of Discovery focuses on the crew of the USS Discovery as they begin to explore space and the Mirror Universe. They also investigate seven mysterious signals, a strange figure known as the Red Angel, and fight off a rogue artificial intelligence.
The show has a strong cast, with Sonequa Martin-Green and Doug Jones giving great performances as Michael Burnham and Saru, respectively. Their chemistry is always bubbling over, but it often feels forced. I hope they’re able to bring the relationship between them back to the level they deserve in future seasons.
Another important aspect of this season is how they’ve portrayed the Klingons. They’re not just presented as villains, but they’re a cool group of people who rose from their downtrodden past to make the Federation a force to be reckoned with. Their leaders, T’Kuvma and his albino second-in-command Voq, get some screentime to talk about uniting the Houses and reminding the galaxy of their power.
There’s a good balance of action and character moments in this season, which is a far cry from the more episodic approach of previous Star Trek shows. This episode, in particular, had a lot of great scenes, with a particularly satisfying one featuring T’Kuvma and his crew.
The new EV suit that Burhnam wears in this episode is also quite a big deal, and if it’s anything like the suit in the movie Prometheus, it will certainly be a major advancement for humanity’s future in space. Not to mention that the design looks really sleek, which makes it easy to see how a spaceship with this new suit would look.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
The new Star Wars film from JJ Abrams takes the franchise back to its roots while giving it a 21st century twist. Featuring a wealth of characters from the original trilogy that are sure to satisfy fans of the movies as well as fresh faces, the film is a joyous ride through childhood memories while at the same time capitalising on outstanding visual and sound effects.
The story is set a decade after the events of the previous movies in the series and centres on an ace Resistance pilot named Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) who finds a top-secret map hidden in a small droid. He sends it away to a desert planet, where an adventurous scavenger named Rey (Daisy Ridley) adopts it. The droid then becomes the focus of a search for Luke Skywalker (Hamill) who has mysteriously disappeared.
As with the previous films, The Force Awakens is heavily influenced by George Lucas’s epochal creations, from a relaunched Millennium Falcon to a mystical power called the “Force,” which can be harnessed by those who are strong with it. These mystical powers are used to guide the heroes and villains of the movie in their quest for peace.
In addition to the aforementioned familiar elements, Abrams has managed to add enough new elements to this sequel that the audience can easily see that the filmmakers have taken the franchise in an exciting and meaningful direction. The result is a film that feels more like a fan movie than it does an official Star Wars follow up, but one that also has a lot of heart and soul in its portrayal of this beloved world.
Despite some glaring missteps, The Force Awakens is a highly entertaining and engaging film that can be enjoyed by all fans of the franchise. With a strong script, a rich cast and excellent sets and effects, The Force Awakens is able to bring this beloved series into the modern age while still staying true to its core values.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
During Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) tries to train his nephew Rey (Daisy Ridley) in the Force. He curmudgeonly refuses, but eventually she pries him away and they go on a journey to find his sister Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), who is commanding the Resistance and defending her people from the evil Empire First Order.
There are some good things to say about The Last Jedi: it’s a fun and engaging movie, with excellent performances from its main cast. It’s also one of the most visually interesting films in the series. The vistas are breathtaking, and the cinematography is superb.
The audio mix is especially well done, with an epic Dolby Atmos sound track that puts you in the center of the action. Atmos height channels swirl the space around Rey as she makes a Force Skype call with Kylo Ren, and side channels get your head spinning when Fathiers are stampeded through Canto Bight or space ships are blowing up.
Another thing I liked about the soundtrack was how it used a lot of different channels to immerse you in the action. For instance, the DTS 7.1 mix is reference quality in and of itself, but the Atmos height channels really make those battles and crazy casino city escapes feel like you’re there.
There are some pacing issues in the film, but despite that, this is an overall very enjoyable Star Wars movie. The action and the chemistry between Rey and Kylo Ren are both terrific, and the lightsaber fights are top-notch. It’s also a good look at Luke Skywalker and his failure to train Rey in the Force.
Star Wars: Rogue One
The most recognizable and aesthetically pleasing element of the Star Wars universe is the futuristic space suit. That suit is a staple of all three of the Star Wars movies, and even the prequels and the most recent episode 7 had references to it. With Rogue One, director Gareth Edwards has successfully crafted a movie that has a modern-day sensibility while also being an accurate depiction of the original films’ futuristic aesthetic.
The main protagonist in Rogue One is Jyn Erso, a cynical young woman who witnesses firsthand the brutality of both sides of the Rebel Alliance/Empire conflict. Her cynicism is a major driver of the film, and Felicity Jones delivers a powerfully effective performance as Erso, who is a far cry from Rey from The Force Awakens.
While most of the characters in Rogue One are introduced fairly quickly, it takes some time to get to know them. Those familiar with the original trilogy may find some of them a bit over-the-top, like a martial arts master (Diego Luna) who has no lightsaber or carries any weapons, but they are all incredibly well-played.
There are also some lesser-known but equally impressive actors in the cast, including Ben Mendelsohn as a Imperial administrative assistant who is gunning for promotion. This character is a great fit for the film, and his performance is one of the most memorable moments in the entire series.
Another notable moment comes at the end of the movie, when Darth Vader is portrayed in full Jedi glory and he takes on the rebels in a very impressive action sequence. This sequence is the only moment in the movie where Vader strikes a true, towering figure. He does not strike that figure in the rest of the movie and this is a big part of why I am giving Rogue One four stars instead of five. It is a very good movie, but it could have been better.