NASA reveals new spacesuits created for Artemis III lunar mission

By Ayse Irem Tiryaki

ISTANBUL (AA) - Axiom Space and Prada have introduced new spacesuits for astronauts traveling to the lunar surface as part of NASA’s Artemis III program.

Axiom Space's website showcased the outfits developed in collaboration with luxury clothing brand Prada for astronauts to utilize in the third phase of NASA's “Artemis Program,” recognized as the return to the Moon project.

According to the statement, the suits will be constructed from a white material that reflects heat and shields astronauts from extreme temperatures and lunar dust.

The statement also mentioned that the suits will be durable for at least two hours in the coldest environments in shaded areas, enabling astronauts to conduct spacewalks for approximately eight hours.

Axiom Space President Matt Ondler remarked, “Our elite teams have redefined spacesuit development, establishing new pathways to innovative solutions and applying a state-of-the-art design.”

NASA revealed the first prototype of these suits in various colors in March 2023.

- Return to the Moon with the ‘Artemis Program’

NASA intends to send astronauts back to the Moon with the “Artemis Program,” known as the return to the Moon project. The initial phase of the program, “Artemis I,” was completed in December 2022 when the Orion spacecraft returned to Earth after orbiting the Moon.

In “Artemis II,” the first crewed mission of the Orion spacecraft, astronauts are scheduled to return to Earth without landing on the Moon. The 10-day mission has been delayed until late 2025 due to safety concerns regarding the spacecraft, as well as issues with the astronauts' suits and landing vehicles.

If all proceeds as planned, the final phase of the program, the “Artemis III” mission, is set to launch in 2026.

*Writing by Efe Ozkan