A new footwear brand, backed by Reebok co-founder Joe Foster, is setting
its sights beyond Earth. Syntilay is teaming up with space companies
OrbitsEdge and Copernic Space to design a shoe in orbit using artificial
intelligence. Their AI-powered computer will travel aboard a solar- and
battery-powered satellite, scheduled to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 […]
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#^Reebok Co-founder Backs Plan to Design Shoes in Outer SpaceA
new footwear brand, backed by Reebok co-founder Joe Foster, is setting its sights beyond Earth. Syntilay is teaming up with space companies OrbitsEdge and Copernic Space to design a shoe in orbit using artificial intelligence.
Their AI-powered computer will travel aboard a solar- and battery-powered satellite, scheduled to launch on a
SpaceX Falcon 9 in early 2026.
Shifting AI and Crypto to Space
The mission is more than a bold fashion experiment. It’s also a test of whether energy-intensive tasks like
AI training and crypto mining could be moved off Earth.
“By moving some of the more carbon intensive industries and getting them off of the Earth, we can reduce those footprints here on the ground,” said Rick Ward, CEO of OrbitsEdge.
“This serves as a launch point for bigger, better infrastructure,” said Grant Blaisdell, co-founder and CEO of Copernic Space. “You can attract a broader class of the commercial market outside of the space industry or government, and launch more missions that are even bigger, even more scalable.”
Space Isn’t Without Its Own Challenges
Ben Hertz-Shargel from
Wood Mackenzie noted the difficulties. “It would relieve energy burdens on Earth, including grid congestion,” he said. But building and launching such systems still faces “supply-chain issues similar to those for terrestrial power plants and data centers.”
From Orbit to Your Feet
Syntilay will use the satellite’s AI to create the first shoe design in space. It will try to generate a full 3D model complete with patterns, textures and shading. If the satellite’s computing power falls short, a 2D image will be sent instead, explained CEO Ben Weiss.
Back on Earth, the final shoe will be made using 3D-printed models of customers’ feet. Each pair is expected to cost around $200.
Reebok’s Legacy Steps Into the Future
Joe Foster, who co-founded Reebok in 1958, is guiding Syntilay’s product development. The brand released its first shoe earlier this year and is betting on space-designed styles to capture attention.
“The company can’t make a lot of shoes,” said Foster. “But we can make some things that people will say, ‘I got that first. I got that shoe that’s come out of a design from space.’”
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Reebok Co-founder Backs Plan to Design Shoes in Outer Space appeared first on
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