NASA Unveils 'Tron-Like,' Next-Generation Space Suit

Following the results of a public vote, NASA unveiled its next-generation space suit design that astronauts may eventually wear on a manned mission to Mars in the near future, according to The Space Reporter.

Fans of the science fiction saga "Tron" will be pleased, as the public chose a "cover layer" for the Z-2 spacesuit that mimics the futuristic outfits actors donned in the blockbuster movie.

Equipped with light-emitting panels and Luminex wire, the suit, created by ILC Dover with the help of students from Philadelphia University, will be tested at NASA's Johnson Space Center in November.

But the cool electroluminescent wiring is not the only feature. The prototype Z-2, which will eventually be the new generation space suit from the Z-1 type currently used, has a hard upper torso for better durability. It will also use materials designed specifically for the harsh conditions in space, and have better mobility in joint areas.

"The cover layer of a non-flight suit still performs an important function in ground-based testing. The cover protects the lower layers and technical details from abrasion and snags during testing," NASA officials said in a statement.

NASA points out that this particular design is just a prototype, and they don't intend to use this version in space flights, but it is still being developed to advance and develop technologies for Mars-bound astronauts.

The Z-2 design, dubbed "Technology," won with an overwhelming 147,354 votes, beating out alternative designs by Biomimicry and Trends in Society, which received 53,057 and 33,020 votes, respectively.

The glowing panels the suit is quickly being identified by do serve a function other than just stylish aesthetics. They will offer a new way to identify crew members.

Dan Huot, a NASA spokesman, told NBC News that although the winning design wasn't intended to resemble the Tron film, he welcomes the comparison.

"We're always going to find those parallels between science fiction and reality," he said. "I'm all for it."

NASA is already well on its way to fulfilling its three-stage plan to send humans to the Red Planet.

"Each iteration of the Z-series will advance new technologies that one day will be used in a suit worn by the first humans to step foot on the Red Planet," the space agency said in the statement.