The dress is comfortable, the temperature is good and the day is perfect for a nice walk on the Moon. NASA has just unveiled the new spacesuit that will allow all this: it's called AxEMU and was designed by the company Axiom Space (which we met other times already on this site: there are many projects at stake). How it is made?
This new spacesuit is already a legend for many reasons. It marks the return of man to the Moon and marks the first time on the Moon for a woman: all in a mission, Artemis III, destined to remain in the history of space exploration. And because you can't make history if you're too uncomfortable, AxEMU has been designed to offer greater mobility, flexibility and protection from the lunar environment, as well as providing specialized tools to facilitate surface exploration.
Moon Fashion Week
To be extremely concise on the characteristics: the AxEMU space suit has several more joints than those we are used to seeing. This, of course, makes it much easier for astronauts to perform actions such as walking and picking up objects from the ground. The helmet features a light band for better vision and an HD camera to broadcast live video of the Earth. Finally, the boots are well insulated to allow astronauts to work even in the low temperatures of the lunar south pole.
On an aesthetic level I find the presentation images very pleasing, but don't be fooled. While the prototype has a dark gray coating, the final version will likely be all white, to keep astronauts safe and cool while working in space. Too bad, the “Star Trek” effect was there. Anyway, for those who want to watch the whole presentation again, here is the video from USA Today.
Space suit, paradigm of the future
The creation of the AxEMU spacesuit is the result, as mentioned, of the partnership between NASA and Axiom Space. Another signal that shows how innovation can be accelerated thanks to the synergy between the public and private sectors. The design, part of a real development "platform", takes into account the possibility of adapting this suit to the most disparate conditions: on this basis, after Artemis III (expected in 2025) mission suits will also be made on other planets of the solar system.
In other words, it is not a dress: it is a paradigm for humanity's next space "adventures". Worth the red carpet, come on.
