At first glance, the new spacesuit closely resembles the iconic bulky white suits that astronauts have donned for decades, featuring familiar elements such as striking red accents and grey patches located on the knees and elbows for enhanced mobility.
This innovative suit, named the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU), was prominently presented at the International Astronautical Congress held in Milan. The design of the AxEMU aims to strike a delicate balance between advanced functionality and visual appeal, specifically engineered to tackle the intricate challenges presented by the lunar environment.
Scheduled as the first manned moon mission since Apollo 17 in 1972, Artemis 3 promises to usher in a new era of lunar exploration. The specially designed spacesuits are constructed to withstand the extreme temperature variations at the south pole of the moon, and they’re built to endure the bone-chilling cold found in the moon’s permanently shadowed areas for a minimum of two hours, as confirmed by a joint statement from the two collaborating companies. Furthermore, astronauts will be equipped to conduct spacewalks of up to eight hours, showcasing the suit’s impressive capabilities.
The AxEMU has already undergone rigorous testing, including underwater trials to replicate conditions that astronauts will face on the lunar surface. The suit is progressing towards its final stages of development, according to the two companies involved in its creation. Lorenzo Bertelli, Prada’s Chief Marketing Officer, expressed pride in the outcome of the collaboration, describing it as just the beginning of a long-term partnership with Axiom Space.
Axiom Space President Matt Ondler emphasized the benefits of merging diverse talent from both companies, stating, “Innovation really comes when we put diverse teams together, bringing various backgrounds, educations, and skill sets into the fold.” This collaborative approach is indicative of an evolving landscape in space exploration.
As industries focused on space exploration and tourism continue to expand, luxury brands are increasingly seeking to forge partnerships that may lead to groundbreaking innovations. Recently, the renowned French fashion house Pierre Cardin introduced an astronaut training suit intended for use at the European Space Agency’s training center located in Cologne.
In addition, Hilton, a major player in the hospitality sector, is collaborating with Voyager Space to aid in the conceptualization and design of crew accommodations aboard the future commercial space station, Starlab.
