posted 12-07-2006 06:23 PM               

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"Have Spacesuit - Will Travel," from the famous Robert Heinlein novel, is also the tagline of a new company that intends to do just that - make sure a new generation of commercial civilian Space travelers, adventurers and explorers fly in style and safety in Space suits like none designed before.

Orbital Outfitters Inc. (OO) was announced today by Rick Tumlinson, Chairman & President of the firm. Kicked off by the X Prize in 2004, thousands of tickets to space are already being sold for rides into space. OO will provide emergency space suits and apparel for crew and passengers riding aboard these next generation spaceships.

OO, based in Los Angeles, CA and Washington, D.C., also announced its first contract - with XCOR Aerospace - a multi-million dollar NewSpace firm in Mojave, CA. OO will deliver the first "IS-3" Space suits (Industrial Sub-Orbital Space Suits) to XCOR Aerospace in 2007. XCOR develops rocket propulsion systems and rocket powered vehicles for private consumer Space flight. Beyond XCOR, OO also has preliminary agreements with other firms for their suit needs.

"There is a new era starting right now in space," said Mr. Tumlinson. "Billions of dollars are flowing into all kinds of new commercial spaceships, which will carry all kinds of people into Space. Orbital Outfitters and its parent firm XTreme Space Inc. intend to help make this happen, make it happen in style, and make it happen at a profit - for the rocket companies, for us and for our investors."

Mr. Tumlinson refers to Orbital Outfitters as a "renaissance firm," one that is comprised of a team of experts in the areas of Space travel, aerospace business, the design and manufacturing of Space suits and Hollywood costume and effects. With over 100 years of combined experience dealing with all matters of Space travel and "New Space" companies, staff members also have extensive backgrounds in aerospace policy and dealings with NASA, the FAA and the Department of Defense.

"There are already thousands of people making reservations to fly in the first sub-orbital Space ships," said Jeff Fiege, OO's VP of Development. "OO's mission is to provide low cost, industrial quality Space suits and related services to companies providing commercial and government Space travel. Initially, we will develop and produce high quality Space suits and extreme environment survival equipment and systems for the use of Space flight crews, using a leasing model. This will lower the up-front costs and overhead of our customers." "We are excited about Orbital Outfitters joining the industry," said XCOR's CEO, Jeff Greason. "While traditional pressure suit providers make great products, their current suits did not meet our unique specifications for use by a variety of space flight participants. Orbital Outfitters has found an innovative approach that can meet our price and performance requirements. We will work closely with them to develop a suit that enhances the safety of commercial human spaceflight."

Academy Award-winning Hollywood Special Effects and Space Suit expert Chris Gilman, OO's CEO & Chief Designer, leads a team of top suit and life support experts including former NASA personnel. "Our first suit is what you call a "get me down alive" suit - an emergency pressure suit called the 'IS-3' (Industrial Sub-Orbital Space Suit)" he said. "The primary function of the IS-3 is to provide a line of protection in the event of a loss of atmospheric pressure within the Space vehicle. Among the features of the IS-3 suits are their ability to provide life support functions for 30-minutes or longer at 500,000 feet, superior visibility of the user, maximum mobility, and the fact that they are comfortable to wear -- while looking very 'cool.'"

"This is not your father's space program," Tumlinson added: "The products produced by our company are about both form and function, being on the leading edge, yet being safe. When someone puts on an IS3, they will be protected by the best technology we can muster, yet they will look like they stepped off the set of a science fiction movie. In fact, we are going to offer customers the chance to buy the outer layer of their suit as souvenirs, which will have a NASCAR/Grand Prix look to them in the colors of the rocket firm on which they flew. This may well be followed by marketing apparel to the general public like windbreakers and club wear, all based on the rise of NewSpace - and we are looking for partners in those areas right now as well."

"With billionaires financing some of the first companies, and passengers paying up to $200k for a ride, Space is about to become chic," Tumlinson continued. "One reason we are doing this is to open a pathway for those who may not be billionaires, yet still want to invest -- or get involved -- on the ground floor of this incredible business."

Xtreme Space, Inc. (XTS,) is an advanced Space technology and operations firm seeking business opportunities in the human Space arena. XTS and its subsidiaries will be making further announcements in the next few months. For more information, please call 818.985.7367, or visit orbitaloutfitters.com

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posted 03-17-2008 04:09 AM               

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Flagsuit LLC, a new startup founded by NASA Astronaut Glove Challenge winner Peter Homer, shipped their first commercially produced space suit gloves to Los Angeles-based Orbital Outfitters last month under a joint development agreement. The gloves are designed to be used with the Industrial Suborbital Space Suit-Crew (IS3C) which was unveiled by Orbital Outfitters in October 2007. The gloves will be used for integrated suit testing and evaluation, and feature a patent-pending joint design that makes the fingers more flexible under pressure, increasing dexterity while reducing hand fatigue. The gloves are manufactured using a new process that eliminates time consuming adjustments to adapt the fit to the wearer's hands, producing a ready-to-wear garment that literally "fits like a glove." Flagsuit is currently implementing a preliminary production capability with support from the Maine Technology Institute.

Orbital Outfitters announced the collaboration with Homer last November. "Orbital Outfitters is committed to making the best performing and best looking commercial space suits available, without the premium price tag," says CEO Jeff Feige. "Flagsuit is helping us realize that goal." Orbital Outfitters has a contract to deliver emergency pressure suits for a piloted suborbital vehicle being developed by XCOR Aerospace of Mojave, CA, among others and will be conducting tests on the suit in a near vacuum this summer.

The commercial space suit gloves delivered last month are direct descendants of the design that won the 2007 NASA Challenge. "We haven't lost sight of how we got started," said Flagsuit founder Peter Homer. "The goal of the NASA Centennial Challenges is to spur development of needed technologies by using prize competitions to encourage private investment. Through our work on the commercial side of the market, Flagsuit is advancing innovations such as 'Made to Fit' up the technology readiness curve at no cost to NASA. Combined with our flexible joint technology, this will bring tremendous value to NASA as well as to our commercial partners." Flagsuit and Orbital Outfitters will continue to work together to refine the design of gloves and other space suit elements.

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