With a new set of missions in space comes a new set of space suits as NASA debuted its new design for the suits astronauts will wear when they return to moon via the Artemis program.
The newly designed suits were shown off in a black base with blue and orange detailing, much different than the puffy white space suits donned by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
While the different colors are fun, a news release from Axiom Space, a Texas based company that designed them, shared that the suits are covered in an extra layer for display purposes, as the actual suits worn on Artemis missions have to be white so they can “reflect heat and protect astronauts from extreme high temperatures.”
The suits were showcased by NASA and Axiom Space at Space Center Houston on Wednesday. The suits will eventually be worn by not only the first humans to walk on the moon this century, but also the first woman and person of color.
While they were shown off on Wednesday, the suits are prototypes at the moment, and Axiom said it will deliver spacesuits that can be used for training by the end of this summer.
The first Artemis mission was successfully completed earlier this year after months of delays through the project off its initial timeline. However, astronauts are still set to return to the moon on the Artemis III mission in December 2025 — pending further delays.
The Artemis I mission tested the flight path and equipment that will be used by astronauts, as the rocket and capsule were not manned. NASA has shared that the next mission, Artemis II, is expected to have astronauts on board.
As for the new suits that will be worn on those missions, Vanessa Wyche, the director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, shared in a release that the newly designed suits are the first seen in decades.
“So for 40 years, we’ve been using the same suit based on [older] technology. And now today, Axiom is going to innovate,” Wyche said. “We’re going to provide [access to] all of our facilities and we will be working together to make sure that we have a safe suit that performs and everything that our astronauts use for doing surface operations.”
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson expressed the importance of the space agency’s partnership with Axiom, saying it is critical to return astronauts to the moon.
“Building on NASA’s years of research and expertise, Axiom’s next generation space suits 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,” Nelson said. “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.”
New features on the suit include an HD video camera and a light band mounted on the visor of the helmet to help astronauts with visibility while they work in shadowed regions of the moon or while on space walks, Axiom shared.
The life support system for the suits attaches to the astronauts’ suits via backpack, and the boots they will wear are decked out with extra insulation to keep their feet warm in the cold tundra of space.
Axiom Space CEO Mike Suffredini worked for NASA for more than three decades, and in a statement following the release of the space suits he shared that the project is a continuation of the agency’s legacy.
“We’re carrying on NASA’s legacy by designing an advanced spacesuit that will allow astronauts to operate safely and effectively on the Moon,” Suffredini said. “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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