Axiom presents spacesuit with which astronauts will fly to Moon in 2025

March 16, 2023  11:51

Axiom Space company has presented a prototype of the spacesuit that US astronauts will wear during their mission to the Moon as part of the Artemis III mission—scheduled for 2025. The new spacesuit will be more flexible and better protect astronauts from the harsh conditions of space.

For more than 50 years, astronauts on the Apollo missions have worn NASA spacesuits. However, in 2022, NASA commissioned space tourism and space technology company Axiom to develop next-generation spacesuits for future lunar missions. For this order, the agency paid $228.5 million as part of the $1.26-billion contract.

Axiom specialists took as a basis the classic xEMU (Extravehicular Mobility Unit) spacesuit developed by NASA engineers, but modified it to provide "mobility in open space." This is reflected also in its name: AxEMU (Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit). The new spacesuit shall be more flexible and provide better protection in the harsh conditions of space. It shall also be equipped with some specialized tools for scientific research.

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They are continuing NASA's legacy by developing advanced spacesuits that will enable astronauts to operate safely and efficiently on the Moon, said Axiom Space President and CEO Mike Suffredini. He added that this will help expand understanding of the Earth's satellite.

Suffredini is confident that the new AxEMU kit will enable astronauts to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before.

These spacesuits that astronauts will wear while flying to the Moon will have a white coating that reflects heat and protects against extreme heat and solar radiation. However, the prototype shown to the public was prepared in blue, black, and orange—Axiom's signature colors. This spacesuit is designed so that it can be worn by different crew members, regardless of gender and physical data.

To design this new spacesuit, the company enlisted costume designer Esther Marquis, who designs costumes for sci-fi TV series. A number of companies with extensive experience in the space industry were also involved in the work; they include KBR, Air-Lock, Arrow Science and Technology, David Clark Company, Paragon Space Development Corporation, Sophic Synergistics, and APT Research.

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Axiom will lease these new spacesuits. The company's specialists are also expected to teach the astronauts everything they need to know about the spacesuit, as well as provide real-time assistance.

The Artemis I lunar mission was successfully completed in December 2022. In its scope, the Orion spacecraft orbited the Moon, returned to Earth, and landed in the Pacific Ocean.

The Artemis II mission is scheduled for May 2024. Within its scope, astronauts will fly into lunar orbit, but will not yet land on the lunar surface.

The launch of the Artemis III mission is scheduled for December 2025. For this mission, NASA has selected SpaceX's Starship spacecraft that will land on the Moon's south pole region, with a crew attached. A woman will be among the astronauts going to the Moon.


 
 
 
 
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