The long-forgotten history of the British moon spacesuit

Decades before NASA's Apollo program, the British Interplanetary Society wanted to go to the moon: in a spacesuit that looked like a suit of armour.

Drone filming by special permission of the National Space Centre. Please do not attempt it yourself, the Rocket Tower is made of ETFE foil on a steel frame and propellers must not get close to it!

(you can find contact details and social links there too)

[TomScottGo]

Unfortunately, the British spacesuit model isn't available for anyone to wear, which is a shame! But it is on display at the Rocket Tower. And apparently one idea for that on-suit airlock was passing in sandwiches for lunch...

[dirkloyd]

The absolute chad who heard, "We want a spacesuit, " and went, "It needs a cape, " is my hero.

[DJDiarrhea]

The british sending a literal knight in shining armour to space is the most appropriate thing I could have expected

[theBCEproductions]

Imagine the British knight astronaut getting to the moon and finding the French chevalier astronaut is already there and has drawn up their battle lines

[censoreduser]

Imagine being an alien living on the moon when a modified V2 missile lands and freaking Sir Lancelot steps out

[computernoise]

"but what if there's space-dragons?"

~ British Astroengineer

[SportyMabamba]

The Mk. II suit would have incorporated a boiling vessel to ensure British Moon Force units were self-sufficient for Tea

[lucasduque]

It has a cape. That already makes it way better than any other space suit ever made.

[matthewgumabon]

Although the material and structural design were probably severely lacking compared to suits that actually made it to space, it is interesting to see how the British designers really focused on features that would support longer moonwalks and prolonged exploration.

A blanket/cape for keeping warm, an on-suit airlock for taking in food and samples. A cane for assistance with walking and even sitting.

All we are missing is the “moon steed”. A horse shaped vehicle that the British “astroknight” would ride into space battle.

[ExperimentIV]

i love that the AI, rather than necessarily predicting any titles you could use, has inspired people to contact Tom and give him stories to tell that are almost like what the AI came up with, but not quite

[Falney]

"Having a sit down" Yes. It is most definitely a British suit.

[Jopeymessmusic]

Only the British would think "Y'know what astronauts need? A space cane!" Just in case you need a little relief from walking on the moon. It's amazing but also ridiculous.

[LillithineLair]

that honestly looks like a prototype power armor. almost like the logical step up from this would be fallout power armor. but holy hell that is the coolest thing I've seen in a while, a LITERAL moon knight

[danner]

I can't get over how much it looks like an alternate universe scenario where knights developed space travel

[RickJaeger]

Arthur, King of the Space Britons sends famed astroknight Sir Launchelot

[jerry]

“Wouldn’t let me” implies that Tom asked and they told him no. On that note I’m interested in what other crazy ideas Tom has been turned down from

[nickjunes]

This is exactly what I expect from the British space program. I look forward to the Japanese Samurai version.

[zapfanzapfan]

Neil: "One small step for a ma... what the hell is that?"

Space Knight: "Greetings dear chap, fancy a cuppa?" :-)

[Bedfordshireman]

God, that suit is the coolest thing I've seen in a while.

Imagine British astronauts wandering about the surface of the moon looking like knights in full plate armour.

[SilliS]

If Wallace and Gromit have taught me anything, it's that Brits don't need a spacesuit