Mars: The new Earth

There is something otherworldly and compelling about experiencing this show, given its topicality and futurism. Within 40 minutes of arriving, we had all but stepped on Mars, having witnessed a huge panoramic immersive installation On Mars Today, featuring high-resolution imagery from the surface of the planet that has never been shown in public before; we saw what farming will look like, a major challenge given the planet's total lack of any discernible life, tiny amounts of water, limited carbon dioxide and constant spectre of radiation given the planet's thin atmosphere. There's also a full-scale prototype of the ExoMars rover, which will be launched into space next March.

And there's the journey. It ranges from food trays by Nasa to Galina Balashova's designs for Russian space interiors from 1964 to 1980, and from Raymond Loewy's design work for space stations to (exhibited for the first time) the NDX-1 spacesuit, designed specifically for the surface of Mars by the University of North Dakota. The challenges of dining are addressed in a newly commissioned spacecraft table by German industrial designer Konstantin Grcic, inspired by the constraints imposed by zero gravity.

Don't forget the living. There's a full-scale Mars habitat designed by London-based architecture firm Hassell as part of Nasa's 3D-Printed Habitat Challenge. The living space is equipped with clothing from Raeburn's spring/summer 2020 New Horizon collection, including pieces that are made from materials such as solar blankets and parachutes, taking inspiration from the make-do-and-mend approach on Mars. It's here that you also see hydroponic farming kits and Spirulina-growing systems.