Prada and Axiom Unveil High-Tech Spacesuit for NASA's Artemis Moon Missions
October 21, 2024A prominent red stripe on the suit honors NASA's tradition of distinguishing mission commanders from other spacewalkers.
Despite the advancements, critics argue that the Artemis program has incurred significant costs without delivering substantial results, questioning the necessity of human presence on the Moon.
Prada's contributions include innovative materials and aesthetic design, ensuring the suit is both functional and visually appealing.
Designed for lunar operations, the AxEMU accommodates astronauts of all sizes and offers enhanced flexibility, mobility, and safety compared to traditional NASA spacesuits.
Modern features of the AxEMU include 4G/LTE communication, biometric monitoring, and a new control interface, enabling astronauts to send high-quality images and videos back to Earth.
The suit boasts greater redundancy and health monitoring systems compared to Apollo-era suits, ensuring astronaut safety during missions.
NASA awarded Axiom $228 million in 2022 to develop the AxEMU, marking the first new spacesuit design since 1982, as the agency aims to modernize its approach to space exploration.
The AxEMU will make its debut during the Artemis III mission, which aims to return humans to the Moon for the first time in 50 years, with a projected launch no earlier than September 2026.
Currently in the testing phase, the AxEMU suit is undergoing critical design reviews and further crewed underwater tests before its deployment.
Improvements to the suit's gloves enhance comfort and durability, addressing common astronaut complaints about cold and tearing.
The AxEMU features a white exterior that reflects heat and protects against lunar dust, with advanced technologies including a carbon dioxide scrubbing system and life support capabilities for up to eight hours.
Axiom Space has collaborated with luxury brand Prada to develop the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), a modern spacesuit designed for NASA's Artemis program, specifically aimed at lunar missions.
Summary based on 4 sources
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Sources
The Register • Oct 21, 2024
The Astronaut wore Prada – and a blast from Michael BloombergTechSpot • Oct 18, 2024
Future Artemis III astronauts will wear Prada during their spacewalksNew Atlas • Oct 20, 2024
NASA's Moon suit gets runway treatment in Prada partnershipSlashdot • Oct 20, 2024
NASA's Artemis Mission To Moon Unveils New Spacesuit Designed By Prada - Slashdot