Popular Mechanics (South Africa)
Walk like a spaceman
HAVE YOU ever wondered what it might feel like to wear a shoe that’s been tested in space? Well, adidas has got you covered. The clothing and sports-goods manufacturing giant is collaborating with the International Space Station (ISS) US National Laboratory to explore the boundaries of product innovation, human performance and sustainability. As part of the multi-year deal, the goal of the partnership is to pursue breakthroughs to improve future design and engineering for athletes onand off Earth.
The initial phase of the alliance focuses on product innovation, and with the support of the ISS National Lab and technologies developed by NASA, adidas will become the first brand to test footwear innovation in the extreme conditions of space.
This coveted Boost technology from adidas is scheduled to be tested without the distraction of gravity – which could influence the performance and comfort of existing models and enhance the innovation of new products.
adidas soccer balls delivered by the NASA-contracted SpaceX CRS-18 cargo mission in 2019 have been tested in a series of experiments aimed to extend the understanding of flight characteristics beyond that of an Earth-based wind tunnel.
Depth in spherical aerodynamics will enable more design freedom for panel shape and texture.
‘Working with the International Space Station US National
Laboratory – one of the most advanced institutions in the world – will help adidas set new standards in performance innovation,’ says James Carnes, vice president of brand strategy for adidas. ‘This partnership not only allows us to co-create improvements to sport performance but also to explore processes and designs that could be applicable to adidas’ dedicated efforts in sustainability as well.’
The first product to come from the new partnership is the Ultraboost 20 running shoes. Drawing parallels with the construction of a space shuttle, where every part has a unique
purpose, each element in the Ultraboost 20 has been maximised for a specific performance-driven function, allowing athletes to elevate their performance to new heights. Well, that’s the intention at least.
The new silhouette is the result of relentless torture-testing in the lab, countless hours of research, and feedback from thousands of runners; the ultimate combination of comfort and responsiveness, designed to give runners the confidence to go beyond.
Ultraboost 20’s new and advanced Primeknit upper features Tailored Fibre Placement (TFP) technology, which lays down fibres to the millimetre, resulting in a highperformance, lightweight upper, which is precisely stitched and constructed. From take-off to landing, runners can initiate control with a shoe that exactly calibrates foot support to fully unleash the explosive energy of Boost.
Meanwhile, the Boost midsole captures the energy in every stride and returns it at toe-off to propel runners forward – yep, it might even feel like you’re cheating. At the same time, the 3D Heel Frame – a stripped-back design that cradles the heel and locks it firmly in place – brings the perfect mix of adaptability and support.
In future phases, adidas also plans to research elements such as human performance and sustainability while leveraging the ISS National Lab. Insights from the strenuous physical training regimen that astronauts undergo – to endure the harshest of conditions – could also allow adidas to apply potential findings to athletes.
Space provides the ultimate testing ground to maximise material usage and value within extreme conditions and confined environments. Future research on the Space Station applied to adidas’ loop creation process for circular manufacturing could help advance sustainable creation and recreation methods applicable to Earth.
‘The unique conditions of space provide the ideal environment to discover the unknown,’ explains Christine Kretz, vice president of Program and Partnerships of the
ISS US National Laboratory. ‘For example, microgravity is the only condition in which we can observe specific experiments such as the behaviour of a spinning soccer ball without interrupting airflow and external supports holding it in place. Having control of certain variables allows us to conduct tests and collect insights that aren’t possible on Earth.’
adidas will send its signature Boost pellets and footwear to the ISS National Lab on board a future SpaceX cargo mission with testing to begin as early as this year. Astronauts on board the station will execute experiments, without the effect of Earth’s gravity, to uncover whether it’s possible to produce Boost midsoles with regions of different particle sizes – something that scientists theorise could optimise footwear performance and comfort.