---
title: "Prada Is Officially Working on NASA’s Lunar Spacesuit"
description: "Space startup Axiom Space is getting a hand from luxury fashion brand Prada to design its spacesuit for NASA's upcoming lunar mission."
date: "2023-10-07"
modified: "2023-10-07"
authors:
  - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré"
    job_title: "Senior Staff Writer"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/prada-nasa-lunar-spacesuit"
categories:
  - "NASA"
  - "Space"
tags:
  - "artemis"
  - "NASA"
  - "spacesuits"
  - "the digest"
---

# Prada Is Officially Working on NASA’s Lunar Spacesuit

![Space startup Axiom Space is getting a hand from luxury fashion brand Prada to design its spacesuit for NASA's upcoming lunar mission.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/prada-nasa-lunar-spacesuit.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Axiom Space\</em\>*

## Moon Drip

What would humanity's return to the Moon be without a hint of Italian luxury?

Last summer, the commercial spaceflight venture Axiom Space [won a lucrative contract with NASA](<https://futurism.com/nasa-moonwalking-suits-artemis>) to design the spacesuits for the agency's upcoming Artemis III Moon mission, which is [tentatively](<https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/marshall/artemis-iii-nasas-first-human-mission-to-the-lunar-south-pole/>)[ slated](<https://www.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/marshall/artemis-iii-nasas-first-human-mission-to-the-lunar-south-pole/>) for 2025.

But Axiom won't be designing the suits on its own — it's getting a hand from luxury fashion brand Prada.

In what was billed in a Wednesday [press release](<https://www.axiomspace.com/news/prada-axiom-suit>) as a "groundbreaking partnership," the Texas-based startup has officially partnered with the Milanese fashion house to collaborate on suit materials and designs.

"Prada's technical expertise with raw materials, manufacturing techniques, and innovative design concepts will bring advanced technologies instrumental in ensuring not only the comfort of astronauts on the lunar surface, but also the much-needed human factors considerations absent from legacy spacesuits," said Michael Suffredini, CEO of Axiom Space, in a [statement](<https://www.axiomspace.com/news/prada-axiom-suit>).

In other words, Axiom is cooking up some serious space drip, [as prophecied](<https://genius.com/Katy-perry-et-remix-lyrics>) by pop sensation Katy Perry in her 2011 hit "E.T."

## Interplanetary Style

Prada, for its part, seems absolutely thrilled, with Prada Group marketing director Lorenzo Bertelli adding in the statement that "the constantly forward-thinking ethos of \[house founder Mario Prada\] for humanity has broadened to his desire of adventure and to brave new horizons: space."

"We are honored to be a part of this historic mission with Axiom Space," Bertelli continued.

While we have our doubts about the fashion brand's familiarity with spacesuits, an [infamously difficult and expensive design challenge](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasas-moon-spacesuits-expensive>) given the extreme environment, it's a refreshing new take.

The house has a history of doing interesting work with [materials](<https://www.vogue.com/article/prada-nylon-handbag-history>), and at the end of the day, it's hard to imagine that these spacesuits won't be a huge upgrade over the puffy and unflattering suits worn by NASA astronauts over the last 60-odd years.

And honestly, when it comes to designing next-gen spacesuits for humanity's first crack at establishing a long-term presence on Earth's only natural satellite, isn't that all we *really* want for our brave astronauts' outfits?

Besides, this new collaboration might be an incredibly savvy business move for Prada; after all, if humanity is to become a spacefaring species, it probably behooves the brand to get its foot in the interplanetary fashion door.

**More on Axiom's spacesuits:** [*NASA Debuts Its Brand New Sci-fi-inspired Moonsuit — but It's a Rental*](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-axiom-space-spacesuit-rental>)

## Author
At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride."

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/mharrisondupre.bsky.social>)