When Lightswitch was called upon to design the launch of Virgin Galactic and Under Armour’s new spacesuit, we envisioned an ethereal, gravity-defying installation to demonstrate the power and elegance of the Virgin Galactic Spacewear.
When Lightswitch was called upon to design the launch of Virgin Galactic and Under Armour’s new spacesuit, we envisioned an ethereal, gravity-defying installation to demonstrate the power and elegance of the Virgin Galactic Spacewear.
As Virgin Galactic readies its historical, groundbreaking space program, it had one detail that needed looking after — what exactly does one wear to space? Virgin Galactic teamed up with Under Armour to design the answer, seeking a piece that would offer protection as well as underscore the emotional impact of a journey unlike any other. The resulting spacesuit is unrivaled in technology and comfort, engineered for the masses but ultimately configured as a bespoke piece, including a base layer, footwear, a training suit and outer spacesuit. Suits are equipped with all sorts of unique details incorporated for protection as well as sentimentality, from a special fabric to regulate blood pressure during high G-forces, to a pocket above the heart for future astronauts to carry a photo of a loved one. The two companies unveiled their groundbreaking spacesuit in an astounding press event, choosing the Westchester, NY skydiving facility iFly to demonstrate the power and elegance of their new Virgin Galactic Spacewear.
Lightswitch was brought on not only to design the show, but to also provide full-spectrum project management, facility coordination, and show-calling. With the help of our friends at VideoWest based in Phoenix, AZ, we supervised video, lighting, audio, and staging of a full production all wrapped around the main attraction — an enormous skydiving tunnel featuring two aerial dancers. Suspended by only the force of air, the aerial dancers performed solos and duets, accompanied by additional models and dancers on the adjacent, elevated “moon stages.” The full effect was a “three-dimensional catwalk,” with an x, y, and z axis all activated as the dancers twirled and dove throughout their performance. To heighten the ethereal effect, we poured theatrical fog into the air tunnel at the beginning of the piece to create an illusion of dancers suddenly appearing from the mist. As the fog recirculated in the closed-air loop, it re-emerged as clouds gently wrapping around the dancers’ movements. Within this unusual and breathtaking show, our first priority was the safety of the performers. We worked extensively with all the dancers and personnel to make sure everyone felt secure and comfortable in the setting, and were well-prepared for the two shows. While iFly offered a performance venue unlike any other, it was not designed to hold large events, nor all the equipment that they entail. We worked within a very short load-in and rehearsal period to devise a rigging system that would maximize the industrial aesthetic and exposed steel beams of the facility whenever possible to hang equipment, including a 20-foot-wide LED video wall we flew for content support, while also incorporating self-supporting truss in necessary areas. Our design needed to be flexible enough to adapt to a “guerilla-like” setup as we explored the capacity of the building, all the time keeping the safety of the performers as our first priority — including the Virgin Group Founder, Sir Richard Branson himself.
The launch event for the Virgin Galactic Spacewear provided an exceptional environment for an exceptional mission. Our lighting design took its inspiration from the mysterious and ethereal qualities of space, while also showcasing how the well-designed suit will support future astronauts in their historic journey. While our design may have created a setting as bespoke as the suits we featured, it was truly the incredible teams at iFly and VideoWest that helped carry this collaboration to its noteworthy production. The resulting event was extremely successful, generating excellent press for the mission and plenty of excitement among the future astronauts, and marked one of the final details of the Virgin Galactic customer experience — another critical milestone for the company. As Richard Branson said: “I love the way the spacewear looks and I love the way it feels. I also love the fact that the next time I put it on, I will be on my way to space.” Bon voyage!
