Moon Gear & Gadgets
With all the talk of storming Area 51, finding aliens, and of course Amazon Prime Day, we found this Wired list of moon gear especially timely for this week. The spacey items are affordable and versatile…just in case you don’t hitch a ride to the mothership from escaped Area 51 inhabitants, they work well for camping and earthly adventures. Thank you to Wired for the original article, read more here.
5 Items to Pack When Travelling to the Moon
1. Gravity – Defying Pen (naturally). $35
Astronauts don’t always have the luxury of sitting down at a clean table with a clean notebook in a high-gravity environment when they need to take notes—but then again, many of us don’t either (except for the gravity part). The legendary Fisher space pen was invented for the first manned Apollo mission and can write upside-down, at any angle, underwater, or through grease. It lasts three times longer than the average ballpoint, and the pressurized ink will flow at temperatures ranging from –30 degrees Fahrenheit to 250 degrees.
Astronauts need a reliable source of light. A small, durable pocket flashlight can help if you’re facing unexpected electrical repairs, taking notes with your space pen, or trying to find something that you dropped while settling down for a snooze. Pelican’s compact, durable, and powerful pocket flashlight weighs just 2.2 ounces and has a clip to prevent it from floating away in zero gravity. At 224 lumens max output, it’s more than bright enough to light up any space module, and its anodized aluminum housing will protect it through any bumps and bangs. (No word on how it holds up to xenomorph blood.)
As we noted in our base layers guide, Oros weaves aerogel—a lightweight material with low thermal conductivity that is used to keep astronauts and deep sea divers warm—into a material called Solarcore. The Discovery Vest has Solarcore panels in the front and back, and roomy pockets where you can shove your space-chilled hands. At 1.1 pounds, the vest isn’t nearly as light or compressible as down or fleece, but that will be less of an issue once you’re in zero-g. Plus, it’s water-resistant, which helps ward off those floating water balls you’re playing with.
4. Phoozy Apollo XL Insulated Phone Pouch. $30
Phoozy’s Apollo XL phone case uses the same chromium insulation that astronauts have in their boots and gloves to keep your phone from overheating and protect it from the cold. It’s also water-resistant and will float if you drop it in the drink. It’s compatible with most big phones, from the iPhone XS Max to the Samsung Galaxy series. You might have some trouble getting a signal up there, but you can still use your phone to play Monument Valley and take pictures of wildfires and hurricanes down on Earth.
5. Smartwool Merino Wool Boxer Briefs. $30
Laundry facilities in space are limited, and astronauts have to exercise every day to keep their muscles from atrophying. While most of us can survive a few days in the same underwear, you can significantly up your comfort with a pair of merino wool briefs. Merino wool is naturally antibacterial, as well quick-drying and temperature-regulating—they’ll keep your junk warm when it’s cold, and cool when you’re working. This Smartwool pair also has flatlock seams to prevent chafing while you’re moonwalking.
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