Brooklynites Look To Launch Into Space Suit Industry
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The United States is at a turning point for space exploration, and two men from Brooklyn are looking to contribute, and hopefully cash in, WCBS 880's Alex Silverman reported.
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"It had always been an interest of mine," costume and prop designer Ted Southern told Silverman.
"I'm happy in Brooklyn," Nikolay Moiseev, an engineer from Russia, told Silverman.
Their workshop in Gowanus is scattered with spare parts and gadgets and is slightly bigger than a walk-in closet.
"Our main focus is building space suits," Southern said.
The two met at a contest to design gloves for NASA a few years back and decided to combine their talents.
"You can feel how the hand itself gets really stiff, but the fingers are patterned for easy movement," Southern said as he showed off their model, made of orange, yellow, and black plastic. "More comfortable than our first suit, lighter weight."
The pair just raised $20,000 on Kickstarter to make a suit for the commercial astronauts of the future.
"It's been kind of scary for me, dealing with the Department of Defense when I'm making costumes at the same time," Southern said.
Southern said the toughest part of the venture is the red tape.
"Space suits are considered weapons by the Department of State," he said.
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