What do you get for the man who has everything? Well, even if that man is well-heeled enough to buy a ticket to space, he’s going to need the proper luggage to take his essentials with him. An old-fashioned Samsonite suitcase isn’t exactly going to cut it. Enter — the world’s first-ever smart luggage designed for space travel.
To the layperson, it might seem like a bag is a bag is a bag. How much more efficient can a traditional duffel bag or backpack be? From all-aluminum backpacks to $1,000 transparent carry-ons, plenty of high-end brands offer designer luggage with so-called state-of-the-art features. However, most are merely repurposing existing technology in a prettier — and far more expensive — wrapper. But traveling into space requires designers to think and rethink of everything.
Horizn Studios’ Horizn One space luggage promises to change the game with a long list of space-travel-friendly features. While this might sound like just a marketing pitch, Horizn Studios worked closely with Alyssa Carson, the world’s youngest astronaut, to design its space luggage. The sleek, curved exterior is a graphene-enhanced carbon fiber shell that’s flexible, durable, and lighter than any luggage currently available. A purpose-built electromagnetic base can secure the bag to walls and floors in a zero-g environment. The entire affair rolls on two lightweight wheels, or it can be carried like a backpack using expandable, hideaway straps. Biometric security ensures the case is accessible only with the owner’s fingerprint.
The interior features built-in vacuum technology to maximize storage efficiency and the bag folds flat when empty. The inner material is treated with a silver-ion coating to neutralize bacteria, germs, and odors. Other enhancements include graphene supercapacitors with an inductive charging field to maximize energy storage and wireless device charging. Travelers can also keep in touch with family and friends back on Earth using the luggage’s integrated, video-enabled smart screen.<
Horizn Studios’ Horizn One space luggage is expected to debut with an eye-popping price tag of more than $50,000. Considering the corresponding flight will likely cost more than $1 million, and overnight stays on the International Space Station are estimated at $33,750 per night, that price seems almost reasonable.
