Hacker News Reader

$4.4 million has been spent to manufacture and test it. Seems like it that's a stretch too far for PR from NASA.

Why couldn't it be used in space?

They themselves say so: "requirements drive selection of specific high-performance materials and design details that would preclude us from using many of the features you see in these options for the Z-2 suit"

That quote is referring to the outer layer of the suit only. This vote appears only to be voting on the outer protective layer of the suit while testing is being conducted on earth, and the outer layer will be replaced for actual space use.

You're just stating the obvious, I think the idea here is that it's great PR.

Didn't comment either way as to whether is was good/bad PR. Just letting everyone know that you're not voting on anything that will actually make it to space.

Not that it is consequential in either way, it's just even less consequential since you're voting on how the on earth trial suit will look, and it won't have any bearing on what the final suit looks like.

Reasoning please. (genuine interest)

If you scroll down to the bottom of the page, they actually say that it's not a space design and give a couple details as to why.