Until now, when we thought about Decathlon, a breathable t-shirt, a hiking backpack or that idea of making sport accessible to everyone came to mind. That same company, founded in 1976 in France, has taken an unexpected step: it has collaborated in the development of EuroSuit, a prototype of a space suit that will be tested on the International Space Station. It is not about opening a new market, but about participating for the first time in a European space exploration project together with specialized players in the sector.
The mission in which this prototype will be tested has its own name: εpsilon. This is how the European Space Agency has named Sophie Adenot’s first expedition, scheduled for 2026 and destined for the International Space Station. The name refers to the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet and represents the idea that, in space exploration, each individual contribution can be small, but significant. The accompanying emblem, featuring a hummingbird and surrounded by tiny dots, reinforces that message: great achievements require many discrete contributions.
A usability evaluation, not a presentation. EuroSuit is a prototype of an in-vehicular suit that will be tested on board the ISS through a series of planned test sequences: checking whether it promotes mobility, whether it adapts correctly to the body, whether it can be manipulated without assistance and whether it maintains reasonable performance in real conditions. What is sought is not to launch a definitive product, but to obtain data that allows us to know if this type of European design can advance towards an operational suit.
The prototype does not arrive at the International Space Station as an individual project, but as part of the program coordinated by the CNES for the εpsilon mission. From Toulouse, the Cadmos center supervises both EuroSuit and other experiments focused on physiology, medical technology, radiation or control of microorganisms. This structure allows us to observe how the devices behave in real conditions of use and collect valuable data for future missions. EuroSuit will be evaluated in that context, with the same rigor as the rest of the tests.
When textile knowledge enters orbit. Spartan Space leads the development of EuroSuit and Decathlon brings its expertise in textiles, mobility and functional design. The project is presented as a collaboration that allows adding capabilities without the need for all actors to come from the aerospace sector. The objective is to check if the practical approach to sports equipment can be useful in operations within the International Space Station and if it makes sense to continue with this development model for future European missions.
As it is an intravehicular suit, EuroSuit is not intended to replace the pressurized suits used in extravehicular activities or to accompany the astronaut throughout their stay in orbit. It is located in another layer: that of operations within the ship that require protection, comfort and ease of use. It is designed so that the astronaut can put it on and take it off in less than two minutes, without assistance, something unusual in this type of clothing and which could be relevant in case of emergency.
Images | ESA | Decathlon
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