The astronauts will literally wear Prada.
Side of Luxury
NASA contractor Axiom Space has shown off the latest design of its spacesuit designed to protect astronauts on the lunar surface.
The suit, a collaboration with Italian luxury brand Prada, will make its debut during NASA's Artemis 3 mission, the first lunar landing since Apollo 17 in 1972, which is tentatively scheduled for 2026.
While it doesn't exactly look like a major departure from the suits worn by NASA astronauts over half a century ago beyond some red stripes, it nonetheless represents a major leap in technology. The suit dubbed the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) has already been extensively put through its paces and is nearing the final development stage, the company claimed in a statement.
"This is a groundbreaking partnership," said Axiom Space executive vice president Russel Ralston during a press conference. "We’re blending engineering, science and art."
Moon Stroll
The suit allows astronauts to go on spacewalks for eight hours a day. Specially designed boots protect wearers from extreme temperatures, while mobility has also been greatly enhanced.
The suit also has a "regenerable carbon dioxide scrubbing system and a robust cooling technology to remove heat from the system," according to Axiom Space's press release.
But plenty of work remains. The AxEMU will continue to be put through crewed underwater tests and be tested alongside prototypes of the Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle, a Moon buggy being developed by NASA.
If all goes according to plan, the suit will "enter the critical design review phase" next year.
But given NASA's existing issues in realizing its Moon ambitions, there's a good chance we'll have to remain patient until we can truly see the suit in action.
More on Artemis: NASA’s Lunar Space Station Just Took a Massive Step Towards Launching
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