Artemis II goes bright orange

On their landmark journey to the Moon, the four Artemis II astronauts will suit up in striking International Orange – a colour with deep roots in aerospace safety history

1930s: Selected for Golden Gate Bridge to enhance visibility in fog

1947: High-visibility coating aids tracking of Bell X-1 during first supersonic flights

1950s: Standardised as International Orange across search-and-rescue and aerospace systems

1960s: Adopted by NASA for Apollo programme to improve post-splashdown visibility

1994: Pumpkin suits introduced for Shuttle programme launches and re-entry (right)

2020s: Artemis II suits continue safety aerospace tradition

INTERNATIONAL ORANGE

Suit: Custom-fit and pressurised, with feeding, drinking, and waste tubes, keeping astronauts alive for up to six days if cabin pressure is lost

Stripes: Coloured in reflective blue, serve as external grab points for rescue crews during emergency

Blue pouches: Contain life preservers and backup oxygen bottles

Life support: Supply air and remove exhaled carbon-dioxide

Gloves: Touchscreen-compatible

Zip: Allows suit to be put on fast

Helmet: Light and strong, and easy to connect to comms systems

Source: NASA
Pictures: NASA, Getty Images
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