The American firm Axiom Space has unveiled plans to carry out essential tests of spacesuits for participants in NASA’s Artemis III mission, aimed at a 2026 timeline and a crewed lunar landing. This update was officially communicated by the company’s platform. Source: Axiom Space
In 2023, Axiom introduced a prototype for the AxEMU – the Axial Extravehicle Mobility Unit – protective suit. This suit is designed to function not only on the lunar surface but also during space operations. A broad group of industry players contributed to the AxEMU project, including KBR, Air-Lock, Arrow Science and Technology, David Clark Company, Paragon Space Development Corporation, and other partners. Source: Axiom Space
AxEMU is expected to offer greater flexibility than the suits used during the Apollo era in the 1960s and 70s. At the same time, the design emphasizes enhanced protection against the harsh cold in a mission scenario that targets the Moon’s south polar region, where ice deposits are suspected. Source: Axiom Space
Axiom noted that a wearer of AxEMU could operate in permanently shadowed lunar regions for extended periods and operate specialized instruments. Over the next two years, AxEMU will undergo testing in vacuum chambers to simulate the space environment. The suit will also be evaluated through underwater trials at NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, where astronauts practice spacewalk procedures. Source: Axiom Space
The plans to mount a human lunar mission have faced delays, with officials indicating a postponement of at least one year. Source: Axiom Space