Although the Artemis III spacesuit prototype uses a dark gray cover material, the final version will likely be all-white.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA, unveiled the new spacesuits that will be worn by the astronauts on the Artemis III mission to the Moon. The U.S. space agency announced that moonwalkers will wear spacesuits provided by Axiom Space.
“NASA selected Axiom Space to deliver the moonwalking system, including the spacesuit, for the mission. Called the Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or AxEMU, the spacesuit builds on NASA’s spacesuit prototype developments and incorporates the latest technology, enhanced mobility, and added protection from hazards at the Moon,” the space agency said in a blog.
Though the spacesuit prototype, the AxEMU, uses a dark gray cover material, the final version will likely be all-white when worn by the astronauts on the Moon’s surface, NASA said. This will help keep the astronauts safe and cool while working in the harsh environment of space.
Furthermore, the spacesuit prototype features the range of motion and flexibility needed to explore more of the lunar landscape and will fit a broad range of crew members. The company will test the suit in a spacelike environment prior to the Artemis III mission, which is currently planned for 2025.
The U.S. space agency launched the Artemis I mission with the gigantic Space Launch System, the most powerful rocket in history, carrying the Orion spacecraft on November 16 from the Launch Complex 39B of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA concluded its unmanned test mission – Artemis I after its Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific on December 11. NASA is now gearing up for its Artemis II mission, which is set to launch in November 2024.
With a motley crew of mannequins and biological experiments in the Artemis I mission, the U.S. wants to build a sustained human presence on the Earth’s only natural satellite. Following two Artemis test missions, Artemis III would mark humanity’s first return, and see the touchdown of the first woman, to the lunar surface in more than 50 years.
