Adidas has announced a multi-year partnership with the International Space Station (ISS), the space laboratory managed by the U.S. Center for the Advancement of Science in Space (Casis). The partnership will explore breakthroughs to improve the future design and engineering of sporting products on and off Earth.
For to station’s occupants, Adidas plans to test its Boost technology – the foam that it uses to cushion some of its shoes – without the distraction of gravity. Microgravity is the condition in which people or objects appear to be weightless and float in space. Adidas will be the first company to test footwear improvements in space. The tests are scheduled to start early next year.
Adidas soccer balls were delivered to the ISS earlier this year in order to run experiments aimed at improving the understanding of flight characteristics beyond Earth. In the absence of gravity distorting the shape and flight path of the ball, and of the air resistance affecting the ball’s flight spin, researchers can focus on experiments on other variables. Adidas may later be able to use the findings from these tests in the design of the panel shape, surface and texture of the ball, as well as into the material of future balls.
During this first phase, the partnership with the ISS will focus on product innovation by testing products in microgravity. In future phases, Adidas plans to expand the partnership to research human performance and sustainability. By studying the physical requirements imposed by the harsh conditions in space, Adidas hopes to be able to help athletes better prepare and perform. Experiments in space might also provide Adidas with useful takeaways for more sustainable manufacturing, since space offers an ideal testing ground with its extreme conditions and confined environments.
