Prototype spacesuit for Artemis explorers on the moon revealed by Axiom Space

 

On Wednesday, a model of the commercial spacesuit that American astronauts intend to use for their upcoming lunar landing expedition was unveiled (March 15). This new suit, in contrast to the iconic outfits worn by the Apollo astronauts more than 50 years ago, is a "rental" that was created, produced, and will shortly be rented to the space agency by Axiom Space, a space facilities firm.

Axiom Space president and CEO Mike Suffredini said in a statement, "We're carrying on NASA's heritage by developing an advanced spacesuit that will enable astronauts to function safely and effectively on the moon. The Artemis III spacesuit from Axiom Space will be equipped to handle the difficult conditions at the lunar south pole and advance our knowledge of the moon so that a permanent stay there is possible.

Axiom was given a $228.5 million task order by NASA in 2022 as part of a $1.26 billion deal to produce the organization's newest spacesuits in support of the Artemis lunar missions. The new Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit uses the AxEMU, a suit that was created by engineers at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, to provide increased flexibility, greater protection against the harsh environment, and specialized tools to achieve exploration needs and expand scientific opportunities.


The next-generation spacesuit as designed by Axiom Space is a modular design, ready for a diverse astronaut corps. (Image credit: Axiom Space)

The AxEMU will "enable exploration of more of the lunar terrain than ever before" thanks to cutting-edge technologies, according to an Axiom description.

 

The NASA astronauts' Axiom-provided spacesuits on the moon will have a white outer layer to reflect heat, shielding the wearer from the incredibly hot temperatures when in direct sunshine. The prototype was adorned with the Axiom logo and sports the company's brand hues of blue, black, and orange for Wednesday's reveal and to hide the suit's proprietary components.

Using innovative technologies, the new Axiom Space spacesuit will enable exploration of more of the lunar surface than ever before. (Image credit: Axiom Space)

NASA will receive from the AxEMU the privately produced human systems required to reach, inhabit, and conduct business on and around the moon. The advanced suit was made with a range of crew members in mind from the beginning.

NASA plans to place the first American woman and the following American to walk on the moon on Artemis 3, which is scheduled to launch in December 2025. Future Artemis missions will carry astronauts from partner countries, including Japan and the member states of the European Space Agency, as well as the first person of colour.

KBR, Air-Lock, Arrow Science and Technology, David Clark Company, Paragon Space Development Corporation, Sophic Synergistics, and A-P-T Research were among the companies that Axiom Space worked with to develop the AxEMU. Even though Axiom is building its own commercial space station and has trained privately-funded crews to launch to and reside on the International Space Station, this is the first time the company has created a pressurised garment for use in space, let alone on the moon.


The front of the Axiom Space spacesuit is adorned with the "Ax" logo. The spacesuit was designed with greater protection in mind to withstand the harsh lunar environment. (Image credit: Axiom Space)

"Our expert team is poised to provide NASA the next-generation spacesuit," said Mark Greeley, Axiom Space's extravehicular activity (EVA) programme manager. "We sensibly measured the instructions NASA had cultured over the years and used that knowledge to produce a spacesuit for the moon and for our future Axiom Space customers," the company claims.

Axiom Space will supply NASA with the AxEMU spacesuits in addition to other services like systems training and real-time operations assistance.


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