NASA and Speedo build world's fastest swimsuit

Hampton (VA) – NASA and Speedo have teamed up to develop the world’s fastest swimsuit. The body-hugging LZR-Race outfit is ultrasonically welded to have no exposed seams and promises to be slightly faster than the previous fastest suits. Expect world records to fall this summer because the Olympic Committee has already approved the LZR-Race for this year’s Beijing Olympics.

NASA helped out by subjecting more than 400 swimmers to grueling water tunnel aerodynamic tests at the NASA Langley Research Center. More than 100 fabrics were also tested for drag before Speedo decided on a custom cloth that was water repellent and fast drying.

The LZR-Race suits promise to have 5 percent less drag than Speedo’s previous best FASTSKIN PRO suits that have helped break world records in the past year. Speedo also claims swimmers will have 5% better oxygen intake efficiency thanks to stronger core compression section along the abdomen area.

The LZR-Race suits will retail for $300 to $550 each.

Reuters has an excellent video about the suits which you can view here.

Correction - Kathy Barnstorff from NASA tells us that the wind tunnel tests were done at Langley while the underwater aerodynamic tests were performed at the University of Otago in New Zealand.