Aeromax Astronaut Boots

Product Information

Prototypes for the Apollo boots were first designed in 1962 and, within six years, a definitive design had been forged. During the Apollo programme, this footwear gradually evolved, with the last changes made in 1972.

Because NASA did not really know what the surface of the Moon was like, there was a fear that the Lunar Module or the astronauts themselves would sink into the dust. However, as with the Mercury and Gemini programmes, the organisation had some smart people working for it, and their judgment of the Moon’s surface was right, so there was a reasonably firm surface on which to stand. Because there are so many unknown factors about the exploration of Mars, it is difficult to accurately plan the exact nature of the work clothes the astronauts will need to wear. However, what is obvious is that footwear will need to be pressurised, as the Martian atmosphere is so thin. The outer boot consisted of 12 layers of biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (boPET) – a polyester film (commonly called ‘Mylar’) made from stretched polyethylene terephthalate (PET). This was selected for its high tensile strength, chemical and dimensional stability, reflectivity, gas barrier and electrical insulation properties. This footwear also included a nonwoven PET product and a fibreglass/ polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) inner liner material. As a progressive scientific organisation, NASA is leading the way among the ‘big three’ of space-going nations, and has great plans for future exploration of space. If these goals are achieved, footwear will definitely play a key role in such off-world voyages of discovery. With the experience the Administration has gained over the past 50 years, and the technical leadership of people like Joe Kosmo, the design of astronauts’ boots will undoubtedly continue to progress as new materials become available. Publishing DataWith temperatures on Mars ranging from a low of -176°C (-284°F) to a high of +30°C (+86°F), the boots will have to be designed with a proactive heating/cooling system. An ideal system to maintain foot temperature would use a liquid, especially if it has a high specific heat capacity. We will not accept the return of any item(s) that has been modified, this includes but is not limited to the application of shoe care products, footwear that has been re-soled, footwear that has been stretched, belts that have been resized. The major complaint raised by the astronauts during their EVAs was the amount of dust which found its way between the inner and outer boots. As can be expected, the boots that he and fellow astronaut Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin wore that day had to meet the most stringent safety and performance specifications. These consisted of two main parts – an inner ‘pressure boot’ with a flexible sole which was worn by the crew during their time in space, and a galosh that was strapped on over the inner boot prior to stepping onto the Moon.

A new design for boots was needed for the first ‘extra-vehicular activity’ (EVA) ‘spacewalk’. Because of the astronaut being in free space, NASA had to produce a thermal cover for the existing Gemini footwear, to take account of the extreme environment the equipment would now be expected to cope with. The inner boot’s sole was constructed from a non-flammable elastomer and ‘honeycomb’ material – a reaction to the tragic fire in the cabin of the Apollo I craft during a preliminary test and launch rehearsal on January 27th 1967, which cost the lives of Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee. The heel panel on the Derby boot is decoratively stitched while the Astronaut style has an additional panel which is top-stitched.There are both subtle and more prominent construction variations between both styles which include the below: NASA uses a suit called an ‘Extravehicular Mobility Unit’ (EMU) while Russia’s cosmonauts wear an ‘Orlan’ suit (Russian for ‘eagle’). Both of these suits and their corresponding boots are functionally very similar – they are designed to allow a crew member to perform operations in the vacuum of space while in the immediate vicinity of a spacecraft, although neither is designed for use on the surface of a body like the Moon or Mars. The current Chinese spacesuit was based on the Russian Orlan-M design and was worn by astronaut Zhai Zhigang during China's first-ever spacewalk on September 27th 2008. Both styles are manufactured using the same Hi-Shine leather which means the leather and general care for both styles is identical. To learn more about caring for your leather and footwear, read our shoe care tips here.