Houston-based Axiom Space unveiled the flight design of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit for the first time today at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan. This new suit is a critical part of the Artemis program — it is what the Artemis astronauts will don to walk on the lunar surface.
Prada, the Italian fashion house, partnered with Axiom to design and construct the AxEMU suit.
While it is not quite ready for mission usage, the AxEMU suit is nearing the final development stage. It has completed a successful pressurized simulation with Artemis III partners – NASA, SpaceX, and Axiom Space – marking the first test of its kind since the Apollo era. It will continue to undergo testing including crewed underwater tests at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) facility, complete integrated tests with the Artemis Lunar Terrain Vehicle prototypes, and will enter the critical design review (CDR) phase in 2025. From there, a clear path to manufacturing production units and eventually using them on the lunar surface will follow.
Courtesy: Axiom Space
Prada?
According to Axiom, “Prada’s in-depth knowledge and experience on materials and production processes supported innovative work in addition to the spacesuit cover layer. Prada’s design and product development team worked alongside Axiom Space engineers on customized material recommendations and features that would both protect astronauts against the unique challenges of the lunar environment and visually inspire future space exploration.”
Axiom added that, “Prada’s expertise enabled advanced technologies and innovative sewing methods to bridge the gap between highly engineered functionality and an aesthetically appealing white outer layer, providing astronauts with an increased level of comfort while improving the materials’ performance.”
“We are pioneering a new era in space exploration where partnerships are imperative to the commercialization of space,” said Russell Ralston, Executive Vice President of Extravehicular Activity, Axiom Space. “Partnerships build a strong, cohesive team, enabling industry experts to provide cutting-edge technology, specialized products and services to drive innovation. For the first time, we are leveraging expertise in other industries to craft a better solution for space.”
Given their core strengths and contributions to the project, Prada makes complete sense, and by joining the Axiom effort, it opens a new market for them as well as helping the company to accumulate expertise and experience in the spacesuit field — something that may be quite useful to them should the European Union and ESA decide to build a set of domestically produced suits.
More About The Suit
The AxEMU incorporates an onboard diagnostic system and multiple system redundancies to ensure safety for crew who are using the suit. In effect, a spacesuit is a space ship, just one without any rockets to provide propulsion. A spacesuit must provide life support, nutrition and hydration and other facilities to sustain the occupant just like a spacecraft in orbit. It also must had a great deal of resiliency and toughness, considering the lunar surface is extremely abrasive and even the smallest of holes or tears would be catastrophic.
Axiom suit uses “a regenerable carbon dioxide scrubbing system and a robust cooling technology to remove heat from the system. It includes advanced coatings on the helmet and visor to enhance the astronauts’ view of their surroundings, as well as custom gloves made in-house featuring several advancements over the gloves used today. The spacesuit architecture includes life support systems, pressure garments, avionics and other innovative systems to meet exploration needs and expand scientific opportunities.”
Spacesuits As A Commercial Service
As it does now with SpaceX, Rocket Lab and United Launch Alliance with launch services, NASA plans to use a commercial services contract for development of the new spacesuit, and later, NASA will purchase moonwalking EVA suit services from Axiom Space. Axiom Space is also free to sell suits and/or services to other organizations who may need them in the future. This model presents a ready-made solution for the EVA portion of a private initiative in Low Earth Orbit or even the lunar surface. Or one day, Mars.
“NASA’s partnership with Axiom is critical to landing astronauts on the Moon and continuing American leadership in space. Building on NASA’s years of research and expertise, Axiom’s next generation spacesuits will not only enable the first woman to walk on the Moon, but they will also open opportunities for more people to explore and conduct science on the Moon than ever before,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Our partnership is investing in America, supporting America’s workers, and demonstrating another example of America’s technical ingenuity that will position NASA and the commercial space sector to compete – and win – in the 21st century.”
