NASA unveils preview of inclusive spacesuit for Artemis III mission

A NASA (United States space agency) and company axiom space A preview of the spacesuit used by the astronauts on the Artemis III mission was unveiled this Wednesday (14) at an event in Houston.

The Artemis III mission is NASA’s first manned mission to the Moon’s South Pole, scheduled for 2025 and will mark humanity’s first return to the lunar surface in over 50 years.

The spacesuit is known as the AxEMU (Axion Extravehicular Mobility Unity) and is based on NASA’s concept of the xEMU suit, designed primarily for use on the lunar surface.

To prepare the mission suit, NASA and Axiom Space will fit the custom suit and evaluate it in tests in which a 40-foot-deep swimming pool is converted into a lunar landscape at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory at Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Unlike other suits already made by NASA, the one available for the Artemis III mission will not be black. It is covered with gray fabric to hide a white material that will reflect heat and protect the astronauts from extreme cold.

Few technical details were provided, but NASA said, “The AxEMU has the range of motion and flexibility needed to further explore the lunar landscape. Additionally, the technical suit has a more inclusive proposition: it has a diverse crew that accommodates at least 90% of the American male and female population. must comply.”

The tailored suit is also the first suit specifically designed to fit a woman, according to Peggy Whitson, director of manned spaceflight at Axiom and a former NASA astronaut. The Artemis III mission plans to send the first woman to the moon.

The suit is also designed to resist damage caused by moon dust, which has plagued astronauts on previous missions.