Why the Artemis II Astronauts Will Be Wearing Orange It's not just any orange. It's International Orange.

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Why the Artemis II Astronauts Will Be Wearing Orange

It’s not just any orange. It’s International Orange.







..........The suits, which function as mini life-support systems (astronauts can live in them for 144 hours, if necessary), were custom-made to each astronaut’s physique by NASA engineers. They also feature reflective, sky-blue accent stripes that form a heroic V at the torso and circle the thighs and the upper arms, where they emphasize the armadillo-like articulation of the shoulders.

Not that the blue is merely decorative. The V indicates external straps for rescue crews to grab onto, and blue pouches that look like external batteries contain life preservers and backup oxygen bottles. And the hue is a vivid contrast to the orange, adding a further flex to the suit’s primary shade.

Though that color has its own striking history.

Officially known as AMS Standard 595 color #FS 12197, according to a U.S. federal government standard created for paint, International Orange is described by Merriam-Webster as “a vivid reddish orange,” deeper than safety cone orange or fluorescent orange and specifically meant to stand out against ocean and sky blues.

“Orange is the combination of red and yellow, two highly energetic and visible colors,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. “It is perceived as the color of urgency, demanding to be seen.”.............................

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