Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit that he wore when he became the first man to walk on the Moon in 1969 was created by two engineers from a division of Playtex, a company most known for its bras and girdles. The suit had to be able to withstand the pressure of containing oxygen while still being flexible enough for the astronaut to move. It was comprised of 21 layers of neoprene rubber and metalized polyester films and could withstand temperature ranges from 240° Fahrenheit (115.6° Celsius) to minus-280° Fahrenheit (minus-173.3° Celsius), as well as protecting the astronaut from the deadly ultraviolet radiation in space. The interior also contained steel cables to keep the suit intact throughout the extreme pressure in space.
More about Neil Armstrong:
- It is estimated that more than 500 million people viewed the live television footage of Armstrong when he first walked on the Moon.
- Armstrong was a civilian and military pilot who flew more than 200 types of aircraft throughout his career.
- A crater on the moon and an asteroid were named in honor of Armstrong.