Today’s high-tech spacesuit materials are a far cry from the cotton and rubber used by early high-altitude pilots. This story appears in the July 2019 issue of National Geographic magazine.

Cameron Smith's cramped apartment resembles a makeshift NASA lab. Swatches of flame-resistant textiles cover workbenches and drafting tables. Plastic drawers spill over with tools and tubes.

Space suits are amazing pieces of technology designed to protect astronauts from the harsh environment of space while still allowing them to move around to complete their mission. Since the early ...

This story appears in the August 2017 issue of National Geographic magazine. On Earth, clothes make the man—and woman. In space, they’re the key to survival. Whether helping astronauts enter ...