NASA has revealed its brand-new spacesuits for its planned Artemis III moon mission. The suits are going to be a huge improvement over the ones that were worn for the moonwalks during the Apollo period. Spacesuits are critical pieces of equipment for moon missions. They shield astronauts from lunar dust, sun radiation, and harsh temperatures, in addition to giving them oxygen and water.
The planned moon missions cannot be accomplished with the NASA astronauts’ current spacesuits, which they use on ISS spacewalks. NASA repaired and maintained the old spacesuits for many years due shortage of funds. However, those spacesuits are now at the end of their usable lives. NASA gave Axiom Space, a Texas-based aerospace company, a $228.5 million contract. The objective of the contract was to design new spacesuits before the Artemis III mission, which is scheduled to land a crew on the moon in 2025.
The Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) has finally been revealed. This is a spacesuit prototype developed by Axiom using a NASA prototype disclosed in 2019. New technology and safety features are just a couple of the advantages the new spacesuit offers over the ones currently on the market. The new suits are a blend of soft and strong joints. Therefore, it is going to be simpler for astronauts to maneuver inside them. In the suit, Axiom engineer Jim Stein performed squats, lunges, and twists to showcase the improved mobility of the device.
Also, a greater variety of body types can fit into the new spacesuits. This capability will assist NASA in avoiding problems like the one it encountered in 2019. This problem occurred when it could not conduct the first all-female ISS spacewalk due to a lack of medium-sized suits. As a result of the new spacesuits’ white color, more sunlight will reflect off them. This will keep astronauts cool on their lunar missions.
The functional specifications for the new spacesuits designed by Collins Aerospace, another company awarded a $97.2 million contract to design new spacesuits for the ISS, and Axiom is similar. As opposed to owning the suits, NASA is able to rent them from either business as needed. In order to avoid utilizing out-of-date spacesuits, NASA will be able to rent the suits. Also, it will make it possible for private enterprises to produce and maintain spacesuits with the same design for other clients.
This is an important advancement for NASA as it prepares to launch these brand-new spacesuits for the forthcoming lunar mission. The introduction of new technologies and safety features will greatly enhance the experience and safety of the astronauts on their moon missions. In addition, astronauts can enjoy increased mobility and the capacity to handle a wider range of bodies. NASA will have access to the greatest spacesuits without owning and maintaining them. They will achieve this by renting suits from commercial companies.