AxEMU Spacesuit Unveiled: Enhanced Protection, Mobility, and Gender Inclusivity for NASA’s Artemis III Lunar Mission
NASA and Axiom Space are ready to take us back to the moon with a new and improved version of the iconic white spacesuit.[0] A prototype of the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) was unveiled during the Moon 2 Mars Festival on Wednesday, and it's designed to provide enhanced protective features, better range of motion, and innovative equipment for the Artemis III lunar mission in 2025.[1]
The AxEMU spacesuit is designed for use both on the lunar surface and in microgravity environments, offering all of the protection and communication needed to safely operate in space and on the Moon while improving mobility and functionality.[2] Compared to the bulky and inflexible Apollo suits that caused astronauts to fall while walking on the moon, the new suits are designed to be more mobile, with different joint types that allow astronauts to conduct repairs and manipulate tools in space.[3]
The prototype of the AxEMU suit was revealed at an event in Houston on March 15, with Axiom Space engineer Jim Stein modeling the new design. To demonstrate the maneuverability of the suit, Stein performed squats and lateral lunges with the aid of a staff for balance on the stage.[4] The design offers a back entry design, meaning that astronauts will enter the suit from a hatch in the back, unlike current suit designs.[5] Axiom Chief Engineer Jim Stein wore the new spacesuit during the Axiom Space Artemis III Lunar Spacesuit event at Space Center Houston on March 15.[6]
The AxEMU is also designed to better accommodate female astronauts, a problem that had deviled NASA in the past.[7] The suits won’t be fully bespoke, but will instead come in a range of sizes to match the builds of different astronauts.[7] Even the iconic white of NASA’s older spacesuits has been updated.[8] The prototype uses a dark gray cover material, but the final version will likely be all-white when worn by NASA astronauts on the Moon’s surface, to help keep the astronauts safe and cool while working in the harsh environment of space.[9]
NASA stated in a statement that the new AxEMU spacesuits feature enhanced safety and technological features, and can fit at least 90% of men and women in the US.[8]
0. “This is the spacesuit NASA's Artemis astronauts will wear on the Moon” Engadget, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.engadget.com/this-is-the-spacesuit-nasas-artemis-astronauts-will-wear-on-the-moon-144528407.html
1. “NASA unveils sleek new spacesuits for Artemis III moon mission” Fox News, 16 Mar. 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/science/nasa-unveils-sleek-new-spacesuits-artemis-iii-moon-mission
2. “How do NASA's new Artemis space suits stack up against our favorite sci-fi gear?” Syfy, 16 Mar. 2023, https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/how-nasas-artemis-space-suits-compare-to-our-favorite-sci-fi-gear
3. “NASA and Axiom Space unveil new spacesuit for Artemis III moon mission” CBS News, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nasa-axiom-space-spacesuit-artemis-iii-moon-mission/
4. “See the New Moonwalk Spacesuit Designed for NASA's Artemis Program” Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Mar. 2023, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/see-the-new-moonwalk-spacesuit-designed-for-nasas-artemis-program-180981819
5. “NASA, Axiom unveil moonwalking spacesuit for Artemis III mission” The Business Journals, 16 Mar. 2023, https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/inno/stories/news/2023/03/16/nasa-axiom-artemis-moonwalk-spacesuit.html
6. “NASA Reveals The Sleek New Suit Next Gen Moonwalkers Will Wear in Space” ScienceAlert, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.sciencealert.com/nasa-reveals-the-sleek-new-suit-next-gen-moonwalkers-will-wear-in-space
7. “NASA's new Moon suit is a giant leap forward” Quartz, 16 Mar. 2023, https://qz.com/how-does-nasas-new-moon-suit-compare-to-the-original-1850233220
8. “NASA Previews New Moonwalker Spacesuits From Axiom” CNET, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.cnet.com/science/space/nasa-previews-new-moonwalker-spacesuits-from-axiom/
9. “NASA reveals spacesuit for new Moon mission that better fits women” Axios, 16 Mar. 2023, https://www.axios.com/2023/03/16/nasa-spacesuit-new-moon-mission
