Oct. 17 () –
Axiom Space and Prada have presented at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan (Italy) the flight design of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit that will be used for NASA’s Artemis III mission.
“Houston, we have a new space suit. Axiom Space presents the flight design of its lunar spacesuit that NASA astronauts will wear it during the Artemis III mission when they set foot on the Moon for the first time in more than 50 years“, noted NASA’s Artemis mission in a publication on its X account, collected by Europa Press.
Axiom Space President Matt Ondler explained that his elite teams “have redefined the development of space suits, establishing new paths towards innovative solutions and applying a cutting-edge design approach to the AxEMU.”
“We have broken the mold. The partnership between Axiom Space and Prada has established a new foundational model for cross-industry collaboration, further expanding what is possible in the commercial space“, he pointed out.
During development, Axiom Space used a dark cape to cover the suit for display purposes and to conceal its unique technology. However, the spacesuit that will be worn on the lunar surface will be made of a white material that reflects heat and protects astronauts from extremely high temperatures and lunar dust, the company said.
“I am very proud of the result we are showing today, which is just the first step of a long-term collaboration with Axiom Space. We’ve shared our experience on high-performance materials, features and sewing techniques, and we’ve learned a lot. I am sure that we will continue exploring new challenges, expanding our horizons and building new scenarios together.“said the marketing director of the Prada group, Lorenzo Bertelli.
Prada’s product design and development team worked alongside Axiom Space engineers on material recommendations and customized features that would protect astronauts against the unique challenges of the lunar environment and visually inspire future space exploration.
Prada’s expertise allowed advanced technologies and innovative sewing methods to be used to bridge the gap between highly engineered functionality and a white outer layer aesthetically attractiveproviding astronauts with a higher level of comfort while improving the performance of materials.
The AxEMU program exemplifies how the commercial space industry is enabling non-traditional partnerships to enhance space exploration capabilities. Since receiving its first Artemis work order in 2022, valued at $228 million, Axiom Space has taken advantage of the public-private agreement with NASAseeking recognized experts in various industries to assist in the development and design of this next generation spacesuit.
PIONEERS IN A NEW ERA IN SPACE EXPLORATION
“We are pioneers in a new era in space exploration, in which alliances are essential for the commercialization of space“said Axiom Space’s Executive Vice President of Extravehicular Activity, Russell Ralston.
The alliances, Ralston added, form “a strong, cohesive team that enables industry experts to deliver cutting-edge technology, specialized products and services to drive innovation.” “For the first time, we are leveraging experience from other industries to design a better solution for the space“he said.
A breakthrough in the design of NASA’s Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (xEMU) spacesuit, the AxEMU provides greater flexibility, performance and safety, as well as specialized tools to help explore the lunar south pole. The suit fits a wide range of crew members, including men and women from the 1st to 99th percentile (anthropomorphic sizes).
THE SUIT WILL WITHSTAND THE EXTREME TEMPERATURES OF THE MOON
It will withstand extreme temperatures at the lunar south pole and withstand colder temperatures in permanently shadowed regions for at least two hours. Astronauts will be able to spacewalk for at least eight hours.
The AxEMU incorporates multiple redundant systems and an onboard diagnostic system to ensure the safety of crew members.
The suit also uses a regenerable carbon dioxide scrubbing system and robust cooling technology to remove heat from the system.
It includes advanced coatings on the helmet and visor to improve astronauts’ vision of their surroundings, as well as custom gloves manufactured in-house that feature several improvements over gloves currently used.
The spacesuit architecture includes life support systems, pressure garments, avionics and other innovative systems to meet exploration needs and expand scientific opportunities.
Axiom Space developed the AxEMU using a unique and fundamental architecture. The architecture is evolutionary, scalable and adaptable for missions on the lunar surface and in low Earth orbit (LEO).
The Axiom Space company has iteratively improved this next-generation spacesuit over the past two years to support the Artemis III mission.. The AxEMU has undergone extensive testing and simulations with a wide range of astronauts and engineers at Axiom Space, SpaceX and NASA’s state-of-the-art facilities.
Tests were conducted underwater to simulate the lunar environment with an unoccupied spacesuit at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) and reduced gravity simulations at NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
The AxEMU suit is approaching the final stage of development. It successfully completed a pressurized simulation with Artemis III partners (NASA, SpaceX and Axiom Space), marking the first such test since the Apollo era. It will continue to undergo testing, including manned underwater testing at NBL facilities, integrated testing with the Artemis lunar rover prototypes, and will enter the critical design review phase in 2025.
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