The fake spacesuits in 'The Martian' are almost as incredible as real ones

Astronauts, engineers, and fans have praised the "The Martian," a bestselling sci-fi novel, for its scientific accuracy. So if you're making an equally realistic film adaptation, your spacesuits had better look damn good.

That's why Janty Yates, a costume designer for Ridley Scott's movie "The Martian," worked directly with NASA to create spacesuits used in the film.

"Of course we made a film rather than sending people to space," Yates joked to Tech Insider.

The story follows Mark Watney, an astronaut who gets stranded on Mars. Matt Damon (who plays Watney) and other actors in the movie adaptation had to spend a lot of time dressed up in their suits to make the story come to life.

As a result, Yates had to build spacesuits that clearly showed the actors' faces, were comfortable enough to wear during hours of filming (sometimes in the desert), and didn't look like hokey, unbelievable imitations. Real spacesuits are "marvelously practical for space travel, walking and working on Mars," she says, "but they're not practical from a visual sense."

Keep scrolling to see how Yates and others designed two different types of futuristic-looking yet functional spacesuits used in "The Martian," due in theaters October 2.