Developers of interactive space suit make Space Park Leicester their first UK base
Added by Love Business East Midlands | 10 April 2025
UPDATED: 15 April 2025
The developers of the world’s first interactive space suit—worn by Colonel Walter Villadei on the groundbreaking Axiom 3 mission to the International Space Station—are accelerating the evolution of their cutting-edge Spacesuit SFS3 by tapping into the “cutting-edge” research eco-system at their first UK base.
By leveraging the expertise and resources at Space Park Leicester, the University of Leicester’s £100 million science and innovation park, Spacewear aims to enhance the functionality and performance of their flight suits, contributing to advancements in space technology and space exploration.
The Italian company is pioneering research and development in the aerospace sector, specifically focusing on integrating advanced functionalities into textile and clothing systems.
Corinna Sperandini, CEO at Spacewear, said:
“Space Park Leicester’s state-of-the-art Concurrent Design Facility (CDF), as well as its suite of labs and its focus on interdisciplinary collaborations, align perfectly with our goal to develop the future Smart Flight Suit 3 (SFS3).
“We were drawn to Space Park Leicester for its cutting-edge facilities, the competence and skills of the people, and the vibrant innovation ecosystem.
“By establishing our presence in the UK, particularly to collaborate with Space Park Leicester, we are now in a position to leverage research capabilities, particularly in human flight explorations and life sciences from institutes like the Research Institute for Precision Health and the Institute for Space.”
Spacewear’s expertise lies in creating innovative garments that merge textile with aerospace engineering, enhancing both comfort and performance for astronauts and space travellers. Spacewear works on three main pillars – textile innovation and comfort, integration of technology and design.
The innovative company has played a crucial role in providing advanced space suits tailored to the needs of astronauts. Their bespoke suits were used in both the Virtute 1 mission with Virgin Galactic in June 2023 and the Axiom 3 mission in January 2024 during which the SFS2 spacesuit was used onboard the International Space Station by Colonel Villadei and the NASA astronaut Michael López-Alegría.
By joining Space Park Leicester, Spacewear is set to bring its expertise in textile innovation and aerospace garment design to the UK, strengthening Space Park Leicester’s supply chain and reinforcing Leicester’s position as a leading space research hub.
For more information about Spacewear, visit https://spacewear.it/.
To explore Space Park Leicester partnerships, missions, residents, facilities, training programmes and innovation products at www.space-park.co.uk or to learn more about the University of Leicester visit https://le.ac.uk/
