If the Brits had won the space race, this funky 1949 design might have been the first fit on the moon – 17 out-of-this-world reactions
As the launch of the Artemis II rocket sees humans heading back to the moon (well, around the moon, to be accurate) for the first time in 54 years, it’s worth looking at how astronaut suits may have looked had Britain won the Space Race.
They would have looked… kinda weird, and very British.
A 1949 space suit design from the fabulously named British Interplanetary Society has been doing the rounds on Twitter after being shared by Suzania, and it truly is a thing to behold.
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT
The British Interplanetary Society, in 1949, issued a design of a space suit which included a cape and a shooting stick. pic.twitter.com/DXMKJbAZ4i
— Susannah Black Roberts (@suzania) March 27, 2026
A closer look…
Stylish stuff! People were over the moon.
1.
Susannah, we cleafly dodged a bullet here.
Sure, a caped British astronaut on the moon in 1950 would have been great.
But then they'd spray it black, lengthen the cape and by 1985 Maggie Thatcher would have been a space empress and building a 'Death Star'.
Narrow escape.
— Captain Covenanter Nature Fighter (@Neon_Mistral) March 28, 2026
2.
All self-respecting Englishmen should insist on riding rockets dressed as space paladins.
— Philip Porter (@philipgporter) March 27, 2026
3.
I love the expression on the guy inside it. That’s the expression of a man living in the good timeline.
— Chief Judge Fish (@ChiefJudgeFish) March 28, 2026
4.
Only one man can wear this pic.twitter.com/9Wl8B94Sv0
— Raz Tan (@raztan) March 27, 2026
5.
— Simon MacEwan (@theblastedheath) March 27, 2026
6.
What is it with the British and badass yet impractical space armour?
— Quintus Magnus (@magnus_quintus) March 27, 2026
7.
Shame we never got Astro-knights
— Beastmode (@BadTiming_Beast) March 27, 2026
8.
You know what that's just a very British thing to do, make all of our science tech look like it was designed for an old episode of the black and white Doctor Who
— KikReask (@ChrisJAIK22) March 27, 2026
9.
Why am I just now learning about the Interplanetary Society?? Where do I send my CV?
— K9Dug (@K9Dug) March 28, 2026