HOW JOCKEY SUPPORTED THE APOLLO 11 SPACE MISSION
Fifty years ago, Neil Armstrong stepped out of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module, leaving footprints that still remain on the moon’s surface to this day. Apollo 11 marked America’s victory in the Space Race of the 1960s, a giant leap for mankind, and a milestone for Jockey.
Years of scientific research and development and billions of dollars were spent on the technology that would put man towards places never before explored. This involved the training of hundreds of personnel, the Kennedy Space Center, the Saturn rockets, state-of-the-art space suits, and including, what the astronauts would be wearing under those spacesuits.
It’s What’s Inside That Counts
The National Aeronautical and Space Administration ( NASA) awarded the contract for the technical innerwear that Apollo 11’s three astronauts would be wearing inside their Extravehicular Mobility Units (EMU) to Jockey. Jockey was tasked with developing a fabric that would not only be resistant to the effects of gravity, or the lack thereof in space and the lunar surface, but also meet other certain performance requirements.
The fabric would also need to be able to effectively regulate the body temperature of the astronauts. The vacuum of space is incredibly cold but the Pressure Suit Assembly (PSA) themselves were made of more than a dozen layers of materials. These layers were not just made of fabric, but also of electronic sensors and other life-support features. This meant that it was uncomfortably hot inside of these suits. The Jockey fabric would serve as the base layer, the first thing that comes in contact with the body of the astronauts and working in conjunction with the rest of the elements of the spacesuit. Jockey’s fabric achieved a perfect balance that kept the wearer warm while remaining breathable. The final design was a jumpsuit that completely covered the astronauts from the neck down to their toes.
A Legacy of Quality
Fifty years on, those same qualities that made Jockey the choice for astronauts are still some of which millions of Jockey wearers across the globe today.
Innovation remains a top priority as Jockey has continued to develop new fabrics and design new products that are supremely comfortable and durable. From loungewear to fabric that meets the needs of today's top athletes, Jockey’s innerwear expertise is still prevalent to this day.
While your steps might not be as gigantic as that of Neil Armstrong’s & Buzz Aldrin’s, with Jockey, you can be sure at the very least they’ll be just as comfortable.