The Austrian Space Forum (OEWF) is a group of alumni of the International Space University and the Space Generation Advisory Council who are professionally involved in various national and international space related activities.

At the small research facility nestled amongst the Austrian Alps, astrobiologist Dr Gernot Groomer is building a "wearable spacecraft" suit designed specifically for Mars Exploration, where no human being has ever set foot.

The suit, named "Aouda.X," is made from roughly 10,000 parts and was inspired from armor worn by medieval knights.

The main challenge to making a suit for Mars is the challenging environment, the most difficult ever encountered by humans. Particles of glassy sand can be whipped into dust-storms with wind speeds of 125 miles per hour, temperatures of minus 130 degrees Celsius (negative 202 degrees Fahrenheit) and almost no atmosphere to shield from cosmic radiation rays, not to mention how difficult it will be to get a person to Mars in the first place.

The Apollo-era suits worn by astronauts on the moon are completely insufficient for the conditions on Mars, and astronauts would be "very dead, very soon", according to Dr. Groomer.

The Aouda.X suit weighs 45 kilograms (99 pounds) and, according to CNN, it "incorporates air and power supplies, communication devices, sensors to take biometric readings, and ventilation -- plus all the facilities required to allow the astronaut to eat, drink and (even) scratch their nose while away from base."

The life-support systems and added capabilities are required to operate alone because fast communication with earth is impossible from the red planet. The suit will have to be companion, adviser and mission control to the astronaut. Groomer says the suit is half hardware and half software, which will have to serve as mission control. The smart-spacesuit will allow its wearer to keep control of a robotic explorer vehicle and all the devices and sensors to be housed at the Martian base station.