NASA and Axiom Space unveiled a prototype of the spacesuits astronauts will wear during the Artemis III mission — when Americans will land on the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.
Moonwalkers exploring the lunar south pole will wear Axiom's "next-generation" spacesuits, called the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or AxEMU, which were revealed Wednesday at the Moon 2 Mars Festival at Space Center Houston.
NASA announced in September that it chose the Texas-based company to develop Artemis spacesuits and supporting systems for $228.5 million.
“We’re carrying on NASA’s legacy by designing an advanced spacesuit that will allow astronauts to operate safely and effectively on the Moon,” Axiom Space President and CEO Michael Suffredini said in a news release. “Axiom Space’s Artemis III spacesuit will be ready to meet the complex challenges of the lunar south pole and help grow our understanding of the Moon in order to enable a long-term presence there.”
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AxEMU builds on NASA’s Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit spacesuit design, incorporating the latest technology, enhanced mobility and added protection from hazards on the moon, the agency said.
“This is a great example of what innovation can do,” Peggy Whitson, a retired NASA astronaut and current Axiom astronaut, said. “This is going to be such a much more flexible suit, and the range of motion is really going to improve the astronauts’ ability to do all the tasks that they’re going to do while they’re out exploring on the lunar surface and eventually on Mars.”
The actual spacesuits will be white to reflect heat, keeping astronauts cool. Axiom plans to deliver training spacesuits to NASA by late this summer, the company said in the release.
Through Artemis, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the moon. They will also pave the way for a sustained presence on the moon and, eventually, human exploration to Mars.
Artemis III is scheduled for launch in 2025.
Learn more about the new spacesuits here.
