NASA has introduced the latest generation of spacesuits it will use to return to the moon

More flexible and resistant. So they will be The new spacesuits that the Artemis III crew will wear on the moon A prototype of which was presented on Wednesday shows significant improvements over those used in the Apollo program.

By the end of 2025, the Artemis III crew, which will include the first astronaut to set foot on the surface of the Moon, will reach the satellite’s south pole, where “extreme” temperatures and “hostile” environmental conditions can be recorded, wearing 21st-century suits designed and built by the company. Axiom Space.

“These new suits have more features and capabilities”He said this Wednesday Vanessa WitchyDirector of the NASA Johnson Space Center, during the presentation and presentation of the suit manufactured by a private company based in Texas (USA).

for his part, Lara Kearneyof NASA’s Extravehicular Activity and Human Mobility on the Surface program, noted that the suit, although the prototype presented Wednesday was black — the idea is that it’s white for thermal reasons — would allow more “mobility” to astronauts.

“This is a contract of service,” said Kearney, who remembers it. Historically, NASA has made and owned spacesuits. used for missions, but in the case of Artemis III Axiom it will provide suits under a $228.5 million contract.

He added that space uniforms must still pass tests that will measure aspects such as security and that will be carried out at the Johnson Space Center.

In turn, the head of Axiom Space, Michael SuffrediniHe emphasized that the suits are the result of a strategic alliance between the private company and NASA’s experience.

“We are continuing NASA’s legacy by designing an advanced spacesuit that allows astronauts to operate safely and effectively on the moon,” Suffredini said in a statement, promising that the Artemis III suit “will be ready to meet the complex challenges of the lunar south pole” and assist with the goal of “a long-term presence there.” .

The NASA administrator, for his part, said in a message on Twitter: “Our work will open up opportunities for more people to explore and conduct science on the surface of the moon, and is a testament to American innovation.” Bill Nelson.

“The gloves are an important part of the design,” he noted. Russell RalstonDeputy Director of Extravehicular Activity Division at Axiom Space, while showing the prototype worn by an engineer from the company.

Ralston explained that the engineers spent a lot of time designing the gloves, and thanks to innovative technologies, they will be able to handle a wide variety of tools.

Special effort also deserved the development of the insulation layers of the spacesuit, including gloves and boots, the latter being another notable component of the suit in the manufacture of which the fashion designer was involved. Esther Marquisfrom the Apple TV+ series “For All Mankind”.

The Axiom suit consists of “many layers”, has a rear entrance through which crew members enter, as well as a greater number of joints in the legs and arms that provide greater flexibility compared to the suits that were used 50 years ago during the NASA Apollo missions.

The helmet contains an array of lights and an HD video camera, while the life support system where the oxygen is stored will be located in the back of the astronauts.

The suit contains a compendium of technological innovations that, however, have not been able to exclude an inevitable component for the astronauts who wear it: diapers.

NASA is seeking to establish a permanent presence on the moon through the Artemis programwhose first mission returned to Earth on December 11 after 25 days of travel, during which time the unmanned Orion spacecraft circled the Moon.

The US space agency plans to launch Artemis II in November 2024, a mission that will follow the same path as its predecessor but with a crew, the same one that will be announced on April 3.

(with information from EFE)

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